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Analysis of Radioactivity in Food

Natural sources of – a combina- Relevant tion of cosmic and terrestric radiation – represent the major part of radioactivity in Severe damage and containment the food chain. breeches within nuclear power plants The -40, to the harmful release of volatile -235 and -238 as well as pro- such as iodine and . ducts from these decay series such as Less volatile radionuclides such a stron- -222, radium-226 and -232 tium, antimony, uranium and can be dated back to the origin of the can be part of aerosol or dust particle earth. Radionuclides such as and releases. The extent and severity of their carbon-14 are continuously formed in the release is highly dependent on the pro- atmosphere. Main sources for man-made cess taking place in failing reactors. radioactivity dispersed in the environment have been the nuclear weapons tests Usually, caesium-134 and -137 are con- performed in the 1960s as well as the sidered good indicator nuclides due to reactor accidents in Chernobyl in 1986 their distribution in the environment and and Fukushima in 2011. the long half-life of caesium-137 of 30 years. Additionally, in case of Fukushima Eurofins offers the analysis of the most also iodine-131 (half-life 8 days) has important marker nuclides for food, initially been used as a marker for caesium-134 and -137 as well as the assessment of food and feed. iodine-131.

Radionuclides in the Food Chain Analysis

Following a radioactive fallout the presence and The analytical expertise of Eurofins in the field bioavailability of caesium-137 depends on of radioactivity is based on more than 20 years properties and characteristics of the soil. Acidic of experience. Our offering includes the analysis soils and soils rich in humus, such as bog and of caesium-134, caesium-137 and iodine-131 by forest soils, are in a high risk category as means of γ-spectrometry using either germani- caesium-137 maintains a high bioavailability. Up um- or sodium iodide-detection. to today these facts result in considerable con- We offer you the following tests with a limit of taminations of mushrooms, forest fruits and detection of 3 Bq/kg for each : venison with caesium-137, which nowadays are still measureable e.g. in Bavaria, originated from  A 7380: caesium-134 and caesium-137 the Chernobyl reactor accident.  JCRCI: caesium-134, caesium-137 and Regulatory Provisions iodine-131 Other radionuclides can be quantified on EU Regulation 733/2008 lays down maximum request. levels of caesium-134 and -137 for third country imports affected by the Chernobyl reactor acci- dent. The import for food and feed originating from Japan is governed by EU-Implementing Regula- tion 322/2014 with maximum levels for caesium-134 and -137. Analysis of both nu- clides is mandatory for certain matrices depen- ding on the prefecture of origin. Additionally the EU Regulation 52/2016 lays down levels for -90, iodine-131, pluto- nium-239, -241 and caesium-134 and -137 in food and feed. Contrary to previous Implementing Regulations

maximum levels for further radionuclides such as iodine, strontium or (trans-) plutonium are not 11 considered necessary anymore. PUID

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Eurofins Food & Feed Testing Germany [email protected] – www.eurofins.de

The information included in this publication is based on our current knowledge and was thoroughly verified. Nevertheless there is no guarantee for it to be up-to-date, complete and correct. Eurofins is not to be held liable for damages or injury, which are connected to the use of this information. Especially the confirmation of legal details is up to the user. All offers are non-binding and without obligation.