Threat to Japanese Food Chain Grows as Cesium Contamination Spreads

"Radiation fallout from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant poses a growing threat to Japan’s food chain as unsafe levels of cesium found in beef on supermarket shelves were also detected in more vegetables and the ocean.

More than 2,600 cattle have been contaminated, Kyodo News reported July 23, after the Miyagi local government said 1,183 cattle at 58 farms were fed hay containing radioactive cesium before being shipped to meat markets.

Agriculture Minister Michihiko Kano has said officials didn’t foresee that farmers might ship contaminated hay to cattle ranchers. That highlights the government’s inability to think ahead and to act, said Mariko Sano, secretary general for Shufuren, a housewives organization in Tokyo.

'The government is so slow to move,'Sano said. 'They’ve done little to ensure food safety.'"

Aya Takada reports for Bloomberg July 25, 2011.

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"Japan Nuclear Scare Triggers Run For Radiation Checks" (Reuters)