Issued: 23 January 2014
Supersedes: Imported Food Notice 07/12
Purpose
To advise that border testing of food from Japan for radioactive contamination will cease.
Background
Following damage to Japan's Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear facility in early March 2011, the Department of Agriculture (the department) implemented a precautionary monitoring program at the border. The monitoring and testing was based on assessment policy from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) to provide ongoing assurance that foods imported from Japan are safe.
Radionuclide testing of food from Japan
Since March 2011, ARPANSA and FSANZ provided the department with assessment policy advice on the types of foods that should be subject to monitoring and testing for radionuclides under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS). This advice included the prefectures where potentially contaminated foods could be sourced from and the appropriate radionuclide testing methodology.
The foods identified in this advice were tested for the presence of radionuclides Caesium134 (134Cs), Caesium137 (137Cs) and Iodine131 (131I). Iodine131 (131I) testing ceased in early 2012 based on advice from ARPANSA and FSANZ that it was no longer considered to be of concern.
Before potentially contaminated foods could be released for distribution and sale, samples were tested for the presence of radionuclides. The test results were assessed against the international Codex Alimentarius standard.
Based on emerging information and periodic assessments since March 2011, ARPANSA and FSANZ have continued to provide updated advice to the department on foods and prefectures to be added or removed from the radionuclide testing under the IFIS.
Types of foods tested for radionuclides
The types of foods monitored for radionuclides have included milk and milk products, rice and cereals, seafood, seaweed, fruit, vegetables, tea and dried mushrooms that were sourced from several prefectures in Japan.
From September 2012 to January 2014, the monitoring was targeted to fish, tea and dried mushrooms sourced from the Japanese prefectures of Chiba, Fukushima, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Saitama, Tochigi, Tokyo and Yamagata.
Summary of radionuclide test results
Results from over 1400 tests under the IFIS monitoring program show that all samples of the targeted foods from Japan have passed the radionuclide screening test.
Current assessment by ARPANSA and FSANZ
The latest assessment by ARPANSA reviewed the current targeted monitoring program at the border and recognised the ongoing recovery and decontamination efforts in Japan.
FSANZ considers that the risk to human health posed by radionuclides in food from Japan remains negligible. This assessment is informed by the ARPANSA assessment.
In line with updated assessment policy provided to the department by FSANZ, IFIS border testing of food from Japan for radionuclides will cease on the date of this notice.
Future monitoring of food imported from Japan
The Australian Government will keep a watching brief, and should the circumstances underpinning the current assessment change, ARPANSA and FSANZ will re-assess the impact of those changes on the risk to the health of Australian consumers from food imported from Japan.
While radionuclide testing will cease, all food imported from Japan will continue to be monitored for compliance with Australian standards at the inspection rates specified under the IFIS, and will be subject to the routine testing that is currently applied to all imported foods.
The 25th Australian Total Diet Study conducted by FSANZ will examine the dietary exposure of the Australian population to radionuclides in food available for sale in Australia.
Further information
To keep updated with any changes to border testing, monitor the Imported Food Notices webpage and subscribe to the e-mail subscription service and the Imported Food Notices RSS Feed.
The ARPANSA website provides advice for Australians on exposure to radiation arising from the nuclear accident in Japan.
The World Health Organisation has published frequently asked questions and answers in relation to concerns over the safety of food produced in Japan.
The FSANZ website has further information regarding the Australian Total Diet Study and other food safety matters.