Brussels, 24/05/2011 (Agence Europe) - The European Union, which in April adopted the same tough post-Fukushima checks as Japan for radioactivity in foodstuffs and animal feeds imported from 12 Japanese prefectures (see EUROPE 10355), has added Kanagawa to the list of prefectures (Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Miyagi, Yamagata, Niigata, Nagano, Yamanashi, Saitama, Tokyo and Chiba) after Japanese authorities detected higher than acceptable levels of caesium in green tea leaves.
Levels between 570 and 780 becquerels (bq/kg) of caesium per kilo of green tea leaves were found in a batch of tea leaves when the maximum limit is 500 bq/kg.
Member states' representatives on the EU Standing Committee for the Food Chain having already approved the Commission proposal, the Commission, on Monday 23 May, adopted an amendment to Regulation (EU) 297/2011 making Kanagawa the 13th prefecture on the list.
The tighter checks on foodstuff from these 13 prefectures will remain applicable until 30 September 2011 but will be reviewed monthly in the meantime. (A.N./transl.rt)