S. Korea to double safety inspections on 17 food items imported from Japan
- 5 years ago
식약처, 일본산 7개 품목 수입식품 안전검사 2배 강화
Seoul's government laid out plans to strengthen inspections on food imports from Japan.
This is in response to growing concerns over radioactive contamination from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Kim Jae-hee updates us on the new measures
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety says, starting Friday, it will double the number of inspections of food imports from Japan that have a record of being sent back due to radioactive contamination.
"Due to growing consumer anxiety over radioactive contamination, the ministry will analyze inspections from the past five years.... and double the number of inspections of food items that have been sent back because of radioactive contamination during that period."
A total of 17 items will be checked, including ten processed foods such as tea and chocolate.
Also on the list are three agricultural products, like blueberries, plus food additives and health supplements.
Until now, such inspections were conducted on just a one-kilogram sample from each product based on its manufacturing date.
But now the ministry will take two samples and test them both twice.
South Korea has banned imports of all fishery products from 8 prefectures of Japan and 27 agricultural products from 14 prefectures that have had higher levels of radiation since the Fukushima meltdown.
All other food from Japan has been subject to thorough radiation checks.
When any of those items have had traces of radiation, Korea has requested additional inspection reports, but because Japan has never sent any, all such items have been sent back.
Kim Jae-hee, Arirang News.
Seoul's government laid out plans to strengthen inspections on food imports from Japan.
This is in response to growing concerns over radioactive contamination from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.
Kim Jae-hee updates us on the new measures
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety says, starting Friday, it will double the number of inspections of food imports from Japan that have a record of being sent back due to radioactive contamination.
"Due to growing consumer anxiety over radioactive contamination, the ministry will analyze inspections from the past five years.... and double the number of inspections of food items that have been sent back because of radioactive contamination during that period."
A total of 17 items will be checked, including ten processed foods such as tea and chocolate.
Also on the list are three agricultural products, like blueberries, plus food additives and health supplements.
Until now, such inspections were conducted on just a one-kilogram sample from each product based on its manufacturing date.
But now the ministry will take two samples and test them both twice.
South Korea has banned imports of all fishery products from 8 prefectures of Japan and 27 agricultural products from 14 prefectures that have had higher levels of radiation since the Fukushima meltdown.
All other food from Japan has been subject to thorough radiation checks.
When any of those items have had traces of radiation, Korea has requested additional inspection reports, but because Japan has never sent any, all such items have been sent back.
Kim Jae-hee, Arirang News.