A popular oatmeal product commonly exported from Japan was tested in recent months and found to possess low levels of radioactive isotopes.
However, the levels of radioactivity were reportedly low enough not to necessitate an actual recall of the product from supermarkets, grocery stores, and other food outlets.
The samples that were tested for radioactivity levels were taken from a Hong Kong supermarket as part of the Food Surveillance Programme according to an area spokesman for Japanese food safety. Ever since the recent tsunamis and resulting incident at Fukushima’s nuclear power plant, the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety has been keeping a close eye on what if any effects any leaks have had on food quality in the area to ensure the continued safety of Japanese citizens.
Experts concluded after running extensive testing on the oatmeal that even if ingested in high amounts, the internal dosage of Cs-137 would not be anywhere close to enough to cause health issues, either in the short term or the long term. The oatmeal products in question were thusly deemed safe to continue to consume going forward. These results were announced as part of the Hong Kong Centre for Food Safety’s ongoing policy to keep the general public informed of any news or concerns related to Fukushima or the radioactivity leaks in question.
Since the initial findings which first hit the news wires at the end of the Japanese summer, the CFS has continued to monitor radioactivity levels not only in oatmeal, but in all Japanese food products. Should it be deemed necessary, policy affecting any and all Japanese imported foods for consumption in other nations will be adjusted accordingly. The Japanese government and food safety authorities remain diligent when it comes to safeguarding safety standards attached to Japanese food products.
