Fukushima Effect? Radiation Traces in Baby Food

TOKYO: Japan's Meiji Holdings said on Tuesday that radioactive cesium was found in infant milk powder made by the food and dairy firm, in the latest food scare to grip the country.

Shares of Meiji plunged nearly 10% to their lowest close since May 2009 following the news. Meiji said it was recalling 400,000 cans of the infant formula, which is sold only in Japan.

Worries over the safety of food supplies have shaken the public. Cases of excessive radiation in vegetables, tea, milk, seafood and water have stoked anxiety despite assurance from public officials that the levels detected are not dangerous.

Meiji said it is unsure exactly how the cesium got into the powdered milk, but it suspects radioactive substances emitted from the Fukushima accident may have been the source. A company spokesman said hot air used in the drying process may have contained cesium. Tests by Meiji showed that up to 30.8 becquerels of cesium was found per kilogramme of the powdered milk. That is below the government-set permissible limit, but the firm will nevertheless conduct a voluntary recall of the product, called 'Meiji Step'. The limit set by Japan's health ministry is 200 becquerels per kilogramme for powdered milk.

Tokyo Electric Power, the operator of the Fukushima plant, has made slow but steady progress in bringing the facility under control, curbing the radiation emitted.

Source

There are a few disturbing revelations in this article but this part really stuck out:

Meiji said it is unsure exactly how the cesium got into the powdered milk, but it suspects radioactive substances emitted from the Fukushima accident may have been the source

Really? Someone give this person the Nobel Peace Prize for science!

Every food product coming out of Japan should be tested before it's shipped for distribution, especially baby formula! They obviously didn't check this batch or they would have caught the cesium before it hit the shelves. If this process cannot be guaranteed they should be shut down until they can learn how to do it right.

I feel sorry for the Japanese, I really do, but in my opinion no one should be eating anything that is produced there.

I have a feeling things are just going to get way worse before they get better.

that statement caught my eye too..what a dummy.

I am concerned too. We shop at our local international market and I have to check every label. I almost purchased some things coming out of Japan. They were marked that they had been manufactured in May 11...so I put them back on the shelf and moved on. It's sometimes hard to tell where the stuff comes from..because more than not they come from a distribution warehouse, so it's really a hard guess as to the country of origin.

Originally posted by Neopan100

I am concerned too. We shop at our local international market and I have to check every label. I almost purchased some things coming out of Japan.

It's not just Japan though is it? I won't touch any tinned fish from the Pacific.