All food radioactivity tests meet safety standards after Fukushima water release: Seoul

▲ An official conducts a radioactivity test on a fish imported from Japan at the Noryangjin Fisheries Wholesale Market in Seoul on Aug. 23, 2024. (Yonhap)

Fukushima water-food safety

All food radioactivity tests meet safety standards after Fukushima water release: Seoul

SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- The over 26,000 food radioactivity tests conducted in Seoul since the first release of treated radioactive water from the crippled Fukushima nuclear power plant one year ago have all met safety standards, city officials said Monday.

The city government conducted 26,772 radioactivity tests on food items during the year following the first water release from Japan's tsunami-hit Fukushima nuclear power plant on Aug. 24 last year, and all the results were found to be safe, according to the officials.

The number of tests conducted over the past year was 18 times higher than those conducted in the year before the Fukushima water release, as the city is trying to help alleviate concerns about food radioactivity safety.

From the Fukushima nuclear disaster, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami, in March 2011 to 2023, the city carried out 21,539 food radioactivity tests, all of which also met safety standards, city officials said.

Seoul plans to additionally conduct about 5,000 tests beginning in September to ensure food safety from radioactivity.

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