A couple of days ago Tokyo officials reported that cows from Fukushima Prefecture tested positive for high levels of cesium contamination. Originally officials said none of the beef was sold in Tokyo markets. Now they admit radioactive beef was sold.
Beef from a total of 11 cows, from a Minami Soma city farm, were tested. But it turns out that beef from six cows, from the same farm, were not tested, and were sold in Tokyo and Tochigi markets.
Some of the contaminated beef tested for as much as 3,200 becquerels per kilogram of cesium. The national safe limit is 500.
Officials from the Fukushima Prefecture have inspected the Minami Soma farm. They discovered that the cows had been kept indoors, along with their feed. A skin test on the cows, prior to shipment for slaughter, showed no radiation contamination. Water for the cows came from a well, testing is being done on the water, as well as the feed.
Officials in Tokyo are now back tracking the shipping route used to deliver the beef. There are concerns that somewhere along the route the beef became contaminated. It’s also possible that the beef became contaminated during the butchering process. This could mean that extremely high levels of cesium are being emitted, probably from the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant.
