Rice grown by a farmer in Sukagawa, Fukushima Prefecture, returned a radioactive cesium reading of 110 becquerels per kilogram, exceeding the maximum of 100, the prefectural government announced.
It is the first time that Fukushima rice has exceeded the current limit introduced in April. The Sukagawa rice did not make it to distribution channels, the prefecture said Wednesday.
Of 320 bags of rice produced by the farmer, only a single bag of the Koshihikari brand of unpolished rice exceeded the cap for radioactive cesium.
The prefectural government has asked neighboring farmers to voluntarily refrain from shipping their rice. Officials stressed that consumers are safe because the prefecture is scanning every bag for radiation.
The farmer’s land will be inspected for the cause of the contamination.
The central government introduced new ceilings of radioactive food contamination in April, setting a limit of 100 becquerels of cesium per kilogram of regular food items such as meat, vegetables and fish, 50 becquerels for milk and infant food, and 10 becquerels for drinking water.
– source japantimes.co.jp