Natural sources of radiation (a combination of cosmic and terrestrial radiation) represent the bulk of the radioactivity in the food chain. The main sources of man-made radioactivity spreading to the environment were nuclear weapons tests in the 1960s, the Chernobyl accident in 1986 and the Fukushima reactor accident in 2011.
Serious damage and limitations in nuclear power plants lead to the harmful release of volatile isotopes such as iodine and cesium. Less volatile radionuclides such as strontium, antimony, uranium, and plutonium are part of the aerosol or dust particle release. The extent and severity of their release largely depend on the process that takes place in failed reactors.
Foods can contain different types and amounts of naturally occurring radioactive substances. For example, a small fraction (0.012 percent) of potassium in foods is radioactive. In addition, naturally occurring radioactive materials in the soil can pass into crops, and fish and shellfish can acquire radioactivity from water or sediments. In general, household food contains very little radioactivity to be detected and does not pose a significant health risk.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets the standards for radioactivity in foods. This organization determines the levels of interference (ie, concentrations of radioactivity in food) used to determine whether domestic or imported food poses a safety concern in interstate commerce.
Various consumer products contain radioactive materials. In some, the radioactive material is a working part of the product. Others have radiation because some components contain naturally occurring radioactive materials.
Technically, all foods are somewhat radioactive because they contain the elements carbon, hydrogen, and potassium. The natural abundance of each of these elements includes radioactive isotopes. However, some foods are more radioactive than others.
Brazil nuts are the most radioactive everyday food. Some drinking water is slightly radioactive depending on its source. Common radioactive foods contain potassium-40, radium, or radon.
Common radioactive foods usually get their radioisotopes from the soil, although it is possible to absorb the isotopes with water. All soils and fertilizers contain small amounts of radioactive potassium.
Our organization also provides radioactivity analysis services in foods with its trained and expert staff and advanced technological equipment, among the numerous test, measurement, analysis and evaluation studies it provides for businesses in various sectors.
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