Revised FAQ on vegetables, shiitake mushroom, rice, milk, dairy products, meat and eggs (as of July 22)

A: There are several kinds of vegetables and various types of classification of vegetables. MAFF adopts international food classification concerning food safety because the manner of that radioactive substances contact with agricultural products is similar to that of chemical substances such as dioxin and pesticide. This classification is considered with the shape of vegetables which are contacted by falling chemical substances, the balance between area of leaf and weight of leaf, etc.

A: The classification is as follows.

A: Generally speaking, radioactive substances such as radioiodine fall down from atmosphere with dust, and put onto the surface of leaves.
In addition, if vegetables with the same weight are compared, the light ones with a large surface area tend to be detected as relatively high concentration of radioactive substances, because the provisional standard is indicated per weight and more dust is caught and adheres to such vegetables. Therefore, after the accident of Nuclear Power Station, Spinach is thought to be appropriate as an index crop because it is lighter in weight and its leaves spread upward without being piled, and higher concentration are actually detected as expected comparing with the other vegetables in the analysis of radioactive substances falling down from atmosphere.
As this case shows, the crops before harvesting were contaminated by radioactive substances that had fallen down from atmosphere and attached to them for a while after the accident of Nuclear Power Station. But after the end of March, the amount of radiation in the atmosphere has been decreasing and stable, so no case in which the result exceeded the provisional standard has been reported since May. 
 

A: They are leafy vegetables belonging to brassicaceae. Kakina is produced mainly in northern Kanto area such as Tochigi prefecture, and kukitachina and shinobu-fuyuna are produced mainly in Fukushima prefecture. All of them are traditional vegetables.

A: In the case of heading vegetables such as cabbage, when they are shipped, a couple of outer leaves which are harder and unsuitable to eat are taken away. The dust which has radioactive substances attaches onto the outer leaves. Therefore, such attached substances are substantially eliminated by taking away the outer leaves.

A: Root vegetables have less possibility to contact with the dust which has radioactive substances because the part for eat is growing under ground. However, radioactive substances whose level were above the provisional standard were detected from the kabu (turnip) produced at Fukushima prefecture, and shipment of kabu from Fukushima is restrained. These radioactive substances might be attached on the leaf part of kabu.

A: Based on the estimate that the radioactive substances are originated from fallouts and stick to the surface of vegetables, investigation has been conducted focusing on non-heading leafy vegetable, such as Spinach. The levels of radioactive substances in the air have been decreasing or stable since late March and the cases which detected level of radioactive substances of spinach, etc. that exceeded the provisional standards have not been reported since May.
On the other hand, cultivation, plowing for instance, is necessary before planting and the surface and lower layer of soil will be mixed as a result of this work. If the level of the radioactive substances will remain at the current level, assimilation of radioactive substances contained in the soil into the agricultural products thorough their root need to be paid attention to from now on, as the vegetables which were planted after tillage of soil since late March will be ready for harvest soon.
According to the previous research, radioactive iodine was the major source of the cases that exceeded the provisional standard. Nevertheless, the radioactive iodine does not remain on the same level for a long time as the half-life of radioactive iodine is relatively short, eight days. Rather the radioactive cesium, which half-life is two years or thirty years depending on the varieties of isotopes, would be the main contaminants in the future as their half-lives are long. Therefore, the investigation, taking into account the assimilation of the radioactive cesium from soil into vegetables, will need to be conducted from now on.
To select the target items, the items having high amount of intake per capita should be given priority and the major items and production areas of affected areas should also be covered. Besides, potatoes should be included in the items as they contact directly with the radioactive cesium in the soil.
Recently MAFF published the transition rates of radioactive cesium from soil into vegetables and fruits based on domestic and international scientific literature, and hopes that regional governments and farmers concerned will utilize them as a reference in the consideration of necessity of testing their harvest and the selection of crops to be planted.

A: The reference index (0.1) of the transition of radioactive cesium from soil into brown rice was published on 8th April as a reference material for consideration whether the planting of rice is suitable or not. Although the Director-General of the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters ordered Fukushima prefecture not to plant the rice on 22 April, “Q&A regarding production of vegetables” mentioned that the planting of agricultural products other than rice will not be restricted.
Though the transition rates of vegetables and fruits were published based on domestic and international literature, they should be utilized as reference because the data was limited compare with the rice.
Therefore, the restriction of planting agricultural products other than rice will not be ordered based on the publication at this moment.

A: The maximum value of actual transition rates has possibilities to exceed the transition rates published because the number of the data was limited. Meanwhile, actual transition rate of the agricultural products planted also has possibilities to fall below the maximum value within the range of the transition rate published.
If the amount of radiation in the air keeps decreasing or stable and the fallouts of radioactive substances on the agricultural products don’t increase from now on, under such circumstances, agricultural products will be planted with little concern on the condition that “the concentration of radioactive cesium in the agricultural products” estimated by using “the concentration of the radioactive cesium in the soil” and “the maximum value of the transition rate published” are lower enough than the provisional standard 500 Bg/kg under the Food Sanitation Law (such as lower than half the level of the provisional standard).
Conversely, if “the concentration of radioactive cesium in the agricultural products” estimated by using “the concentration of the radioactive cesium in the soil” and “the maximum value of the transition rate published” are not low enough compare to the provisional standard 500 Bg/kg under the Food Sanitation Law, “Selecting crops which geometric mean is lower” or introducing measures such as “Testing carefully before the shipment” would be the effective methods of utilizing the published rates, and taking safer position in order to ensure the safety of the agricultural products.

A: Since the accident of Nuclear Power Plant occurred, surrounding prefectures have conducted the inspection on major vegetables produced in the areas to confirm their safety. When a vegetable shows the radioactive substances over the provisional regulation value, necessary measures including the restriction of its shipment are requested. As a result, safe products are distributed in the marketplace.

A: When the Nuclear Disaster Headquarters orders the restraint of the shipment, related prefectures and municipalities inform producers and shipment cooperation to refrain from the shipment of their products. At the same time, officials of the prefectural governments etc. patrol vegetables’ production areas and distribution points to confirm whether vegetables produced in the shipment restrained area are not distributed.
In addition, MAFF asks distributors and sellers in producing areas and in the marketplaces to label the production areas on packaging containers at the stage of shipment as well as on store shelves for consumers to discriminate production areas.
MAFF also consider the review of the rule for the shipment restrain based on the analysis of the content conditions of the radioactive cesium in the future.

A: Prefectures around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant make their inspection plan, conduct inspections of radioactive substances and publish the result in each case. Inspections are conducted once a week and if the level of the radioactive substances is below the provisional standard three times consecutively, the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters judges whether the restraint should be lifted or not. These inspections are conducted on the assumption that the radioactive substances fall down and attach to the vegetables before harvesting.
However, the amount of radiation in the atmosphere has been decreasing and stable after the end of March. So, for the future, it is necessary to suppose that the radioactive substances transfer from the soil to vegetables based on the premise that the current situation has been continued.
Until now, most cases have shown the radioactive iodine over the provisional regulation value in the past inspections. However, as the radioactive iodine’s half-life is eight days, it seems unlikely that the total amount of radioactive iodine which has fallen down will remain for a long time. On the other hand, if a case shows the radioactive substances over the provisional regulation value because of the transition of the radioactive cesium from soil to vegetables, no substantial change would be shown in the result of weekly inspection because the half-life of cesium 134 is two years and the half-life of cesium 137 is thirty years.
Therefore, MAFF consider the review of the rule for lifting the shipment restrain and we are currently under discussion on it.

A: When the Nuclear Disaster Headquarters orders the restriction of shipment, related prefectures and municipalities inform producers and shipment cooperation to refrain from the shipment of their products. At the same time, officials of the prefectural governments etc. patrol vegetables’ production areas and distribution points to confirm whether vegetables produced in the shipment restrained area are not distributed.
MAFF also asks distributors and sellers in producing areas and in the marketplaces to label the production areas on packaging containers at the stage of shipment as well as on store shelves for consumers to discriminate production areas.

A: In Fukushima prefecture, 75 cases of radioactive substances inspection on Shiitake mushrooms grown on mushroom bed, Nameko mushrooms, Maitake mushrooms, Eringi mushrooms, Enokitake mushrooms were conducted by July 15. In the inspection, radioactive substances over the regulation value were not detected.
Meanwhile, as for Shiitake mushrooms grown on Raw Log in open fields, 38 cases (Fukushima City, Date City, Motomiya City, Soma city, Minamisoma city, Tamura city, Kawamata town, Namie town, Futaba town, Ookuma town, Tomioka town, Naraha town, Hirono town, Iitate village, Katsurao village, Kawauchi village) out of 125 cases showed radioactive substances over the regulation value. To grow shiitake mushrooms in open fields, raw logs are used to plant shiitake fungi and to be leant against something in the open fields to contact with fresh air and sunshine.
Shiitake mushrooms grown in open fields have higher possibility to contact with radioactive substances in the air. Based on this inspection, the Government of Japan resulted in their shipment restraint on April 13, 18 and 25 with the advice of the Nuclear Safety Commission. Among them, because the radioactive substances detected remain below the regulation value, the shipment restraint on Shiitake mushroom grown on Raw Log (Open Field) at Iwaki city was lifted on April 25, at Tamura city (except for the district within 20 km radius of Fukushima Nuclear Power Station of TEPCO) and Shinchi town on May 16, at Kawauchi village (except for the district within 20 km radius of Fukushima Nuclear Power Station of TEPCO) on May 23. As of July 19, shiitake mushrooms grown at 16 cities, towns and villages in Fukushima prefecture are requested for the shipment restraint.
As for Shiitake mushrooms grown on Raw Log in facilities, 3 cases (Date city, Motomiya city and Shinchi town) out of 65 cases showed radioactive substances over the regulation value. To grow shiitake mushrooms in facilities, raw logs planted shiitake fungi are used in facilities to grow shiitake mushrooms with regulating temperature and the amount of water.
Fukushima prefectural government now conducts the investigation why the detection result showed radioactive substances over the regulation value. MAFF will provide further information based on this investigation. Government of Japan resulted in the shipment restraint of shiitake mushrooms grown in facilities of Date city and Motomiya city, as well as those grown in open fields, on July 19 and of Shinchi town on July 22 with the advice of the Nuclear Safety Commission.
In Fukushima prefecture, the inspection of radioactive substance on mushrooms such as Siitake will be conducted regardless of grown outdoor or indoor and of grown in restraint area or not restraint area. The result will be publicly informed in each case.
Lifting the shipment restraint will be decided at the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters based on the result of inspection on radioactive iodine that the level detected at the restrained area remains below the regulation value three times in a row, or the result of inspection on radioactive cesium that all of the level detected at more than 3 points in one municipality within the latest month shows below the regulation value. In Fukushima prefecture, after lifting the shipment restraint, the investigation will be conducted with the observation of the growth of shiitake mushrooms. 
 

A: The rice which is currently on the market was harvested before the accident and stored.

As far as these agricultural products have been stored indoors under appropriate management after the accident, they are not covered with dust containing radioactive substances and the possibility to be destructive to the safety is considered as extremely low.

Therefore, restrictions of consumption and shipment are not applied to the rice.

Consumers’ calm behavior is appreciated.

A: Raw milk is the milk just milked. It is shipped for dairy factories and not for consumers directly.

A: Generally, the raw milk just milked from healthy milk cows by dairy farmers is cooled with 10 degree centigrade or below it at the dairy farmer’s tank, then, it is stored for 2 days. A tank truck collects several dairy farmers’ raw milk. The raw milk is collectively stored at a facility called as Cooler Station, then, it is shipped for dairy factories. A large quantity of raw milk is treated heat sterilizing, and then, is processed to milk and dairy products for consumers.

A: As mentioned above, the safety of the milk and dairy products for consumers’ consumption are secured by conducting proper monitoring against radioactive substances. The raw milk produced at the shipment restrained area cannot be raw material of milk and dairy products for consumers.

A: Raw milk is sampled at Cooler Stations (chilled storage facilities for raw milk) or dairy factories and inspected once a week. If the level of the radioactive substances of the raw milk from the same place is below the provisional standard for three times consecutively, the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters judges whether the restraint should be lifted or not, by city/town/village of the CS/dairy factory. Even after the lift of the restraint, raw milk is consecutively sampled and inspected once a week.

A: Raw milk produced by dairy farmer is shipped to the factory of dairy industry as a raw material. Raw milk is, therefore, not directly reached to consumers. More specifically, raw milk collected from the dairy farmers in a certain area is usually gathered at the CS, and then, transported to a factory of dairy industry. Raw milk then goes through various processes such as heat sterilization and is finally shipped as various milk/milk products.

Therefore, we understand that, in order to ensure the safety of milk/milk products that are provided to consumers, it is appropriate to monitor radioactive substances not at each dairy farm level, but at the CS level in determining the propriety of enforcing the restraint of raw milk shipment.

For this reason, “Concept of setting and lifting the products and areas for inspection plan and restraint of shipment” notified from the Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters on April 4 also stated that sampling for raw milk inspection is “conducted at the CS level or at the level of factory of dairy industry”.

A: As for milk and dairy products, the place of the dairy factory, instead of the origin of raw milk, is obliged to indicate as its origin on the label. Therefore, consumers can not judge the origin of raw milk from the label of milk or dairy products in some cases. However, if the level of radioactive substances of raw milk is above the provisional standard, the raw milk cannot be used for the products for consumers because it is restrained for shipment and because each JA or dairy factory checks the name of producers, etc. of raw milk at CS or dairy factory.

A: The level of radioactive substances included in meat and egg is due to feed, water and soil. As for feed, the possibility of having significant radioactive substances might be low if the feed was produced before the accident and was properly stored in tank to guard against fallout. In addition to such feed, the contamination of meat and eggs can be avoided by 1) feeding no water other than well water or tap water which has little risk of mixing dust with radioactive substances, and 2) rearing properly in livestock facilities. MAFF notifies such information to producers, and maintains safe meat and egg supply. According to the inspection report on March 23, radioactive substances were not detected from beef, pork, chicken and eggs produced at Ibaraki prefecture.

A: From the point of our No. 1 priority, that is consumers, vegetables such as leafy vegetables which are easily affected by radioactive fallout and water and milk of which human intakes a lot are inspected prior to meat and eggs which are not easily affected as long as the livestock has been reared properly in livestock facilities.

A: Government does not stipulate standard on meat and so on because their accumulation into food and human is small. Considered with the time that radioiodine is reduced by half (8 days), the time that livestock grows and their products are produced and then consumed is significantly long.