Radioactive traces detected in Japanese food item: TFDA

Taipei, March 19 (CNA) Taiwan's Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) reported Tuesday that radioactive residue had been detected in a shipment of sliced mushrooms imported from Japan, marking the first such instance of a Japanese food product being found to contain such traces in 2024.

Cesium-137, according to the TFDA, was detected at a level of 7.9 becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg) in the shipment of sliced mushrooms imported from Shizuoka Prefecture, which was sent for testing on Feb. 29.

TFDA Deputy Director-General Lin Chin-fu (林金富) said while the detected amount was within the legal limit of 100 Bq/kg, the TDFA engaged in "ethical persuasion" with the importer, which subsequently decided not to import the goods into Taiwan.

Under current rules, the maximum permitted levels for cesium-134 and cesium-137 combined are 10 Bq/kg in beverages and packaged drinking water, 50 Bq/kg in baby food and formula, and 100 Bq/kg in other food products.

This marks the first instance of imported Japanese food being found to contain a trace amount of radiation this year, Lin added.

According to data provided by the TFDA, from March 15, 2011, to March 17, 2024, a total of 228,142 shipments of food imported from Japan were tested. Of these, 254 included samples found to contain trace amounts of radiation; however, all were within the legal limits set by Taiwanese and Japanese authorities.

Following the Fukushima nuclear accident in 2011, Taiwan banned imports from the Japanese prefectures of Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma, Ibaraki, and Chiba for 11 years due to radiation contamination fears.

On Feb. 21, 2022, Taiwan replaced its blanket ban with a testing and certification system for imports of certain items from those locations as well as neighboring prefectures, with results reported weekly by the TFDA.