The radiation leak from the damaged Nuclear Power Plants in Japan is really having a global effect now. Very low levels of nuclear radiation have been detected in a sample milk from Washington state.
The EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) have confirmed this. But they assured the consumers not to worry as the radiation was very low for concern.
The FDA said such findings were to be expected in the coming days because of the nuclear crisis in Japan, and that the levels were expected to drop relatively quickly.
Japan’s Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power complex began leaking radiation after it was damaged by a devastating earthquake and tsunami earlier this month.
Results from a March 25 milk sample taken from Spokane, Wash., showed levels of radioactive Iodine-131 that were still 5,000 times below levels of concern set by the FDA, including levels set for infants and children.
“Radiation is all around us in our daily lives, and these findings are a miniscule amount compared to what people experience every day,” said Patricia Hansen, senior scientist.at the FDA. “A person would be exposed to low levels of radiation on a round-trip cross-country flight, watching television, and even from construction materials.”
The United States had already halted imports of dairy products and produce from the affected area of Japan. Other foods imported from Japan, including seafood, were still being sold to the public but screened first for radiation.
The Japanese food makes up just 4% of all US food imports. The FDA has also assured that this will not affect the U.S food supply.