Japan detected abnormal levels of radiation in milk and spinach near a stricken nuclear plant, but the foods pose no immediate threat to humans, government said Saturday.
The findings are nevertheless likely to fuel consumer fears in the wake of last week's quake and tsunami, which critically damaged the Fukushima No.1 plant northeast of Tokyo, sending radioactive substances leaking into the air.
"Radiation exceeding the limit under Japanese law was detected," Edano said. The contaminated milk was found in Fukushima prefecture, where the quake-damaged atomic power station is located, while the tainted spinach was discovered in neighbouring Ibaraki prefecture, Edano told reporters.
The milk was found more than 20 miles from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant-outside the government's exclusion zone.
The spokesman said the health ministry has ordered authorities in both prefectures to check where the products came from, how they were distributed and-depending on their findings-suspend sales.
Edano said. "The government will do its utmost... to avoid health hazards and to resolve this problem,"
"The number does not present an immediate health threat. I would like to ask you to act calmly."
He noted that even if a consumer were to drink the contaminated milk for a year, the radiation level would be the equivalent of one CT scan.
On Thursday, Japan instructed local authorities to start screening food for radioactivity following a series of accidents at the plant 250 kilo meters northeast of Tokyo.
It is the first time Japan has set legal radiation limits on domestically produced foodstuffs.
The guidelines vary depending on the product and type of radioactive substances, and were set in consideration of internationally accepted levels and average intake in the Japanese diet
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