China to check its food, water for radiation
March 29th, 2011 - 1:06 pm ICT by ANIBeijing, Mar.29 (ANI): China’s Ministry of Health has ordered local administrators in 14 areas, including Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai and some coastal provinces to test their drinking water and food for radiation.
The move comes after the health ministry confirmed that the level of radiation from iodine-131, a radioactive isotope, was higher than usual in China’s Heilongjiang Province.
However, the ministry said the radiation level was too low to pose any danger.
“Based on the current situation, people don’t need to worry about the contamination of the air or of food and water here,” said Wang Zhongwen, a researcher at the China Institute of Atomic Energy’s radiation safety department.
Wang said that radiation-testing order by the ministry is part of routine inspections of food and water undertaken in many parts of the country.
He also pointed that many countries routinely test the radiation levels of their domestic food and water supplies. But, China only has the means to conduct such tests in a few regions, not across the entire country.
“The Japan nuclear incident might help shorten the time it will take to establish similar testing in other places in the country,” The China Daily quoted Wang, as saying.
Meanwhile, to prevent contamination, the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine has prohibited the importation of some Japanese foods that includes dairy products, seafood and vegetables. (ANI)
- Chinese fear radiation from Japan, buying iodine pills - Mar 17, 2011
- China detects 'extremely low level radiation' from Japan - Mar 29, 2011
- High radiation levels in Japanese travellers to China - Mar 26, 2011
- China halts US oyster imports - Oct 01, 2011
- China restricts food imports from Japan - Mar 26, 2011
- 10 radioactive contamination cases found in China - Apr 02, 2011
- Radiation from Japan n-plant detected in China - Mar 27, 2011
- Radiation from Japan n-plant detected in southeast China - Mar 28, 2011
- Chinese authorities conduct radioactivity levels checks - May 04, 2011
- Radioactive iodine detected in Tokyo tap water - Mar 19, 2011
- Cancer-causing chemicals found in China milk - Dec 27, 2011
- Countries roll out preventive measures (To go with 'Will Japan's radiation leak reach India?') - Mar 21, 2011
- China probes preserved fruit additives - Apr 26, 2012
- Over 35,000 mouthwash products recalled in China - Jul 15, 2011
- Bird flu fears: China bans poultry from Netherlands - Apr 03, 2011
Tags: china daily, china institute, coastal provinces, domestic food, general administration, health ministry, heilongjiang province, iodine 131, japanese foods, ministry of health, nuclear incident, quality supervision, radiation level, radiation levels, radiation safety, radioactive isotope, routine inspections, safety department, tianjin, zhongwen