News from Fukushima, the site of Japan’s devastating nuclear crisis, has slowed to a relative crawl. But when news does hit, it’s big. Today Japanese government officials are dealing with the news that radioactive meat, originating from six cows raised on Fukushima farms, has been delivered to Japanese markets and most likely already ingested by consumers throughout Japan.
CNN reports that Tokyo’s Office of Health and Welfare investigated six deliveries made at the end of June, containing meat from Fukushima farms. To date, radiation has been confirmed in three of the six samples taken, with one sample reaching 3,400 Becquerels (seven times the acceptable radiation unit limit set by the government). On Saturday, the Office of Health and Welfare also halted the delivery of meat from 11 Fukushima farm cows, which were also found to contain high levels of radiation.
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On Monday, officials from the Fukushima Prefectural Government investigated the farm from which the contaminated beef was delivered – there they found cesium tainted cattle feed with radiation levels up to 57 times the acceptable limit.
In public, Japanese officials are playing it cool – according to CNN, state minister of consumer affairs and food safety Goshi Hosono downplayed the dangers of eating the cesium contaminated meat. “If we were to eat the meat every day, then it would probably be dangerous," said Hosono at a news conference on Tuesday. "But if it is consumed only in small portions, I don't think it would have any long-lasting effects on the human body."
Nevertheless, officials are seriously ramping up their inspection efforts. The Fukushima Prefectural Government announced that it would be inspecting all farms within the prefecture to determine whether stored cattle feed is radiation free and safe for consumption. It’s reported that 500 farms will be inspected by the end of this week.
