The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 22 (Korea Bizwire) – A minuscule amount of cesium, a radioactive substance, was identified in a Japanese flavoring product utilized for certain flavor profiles. Consequently, the importer opted to voluntarily retract the importation of the product.
As reported by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) on December 22, a radioactivity examination of imported food from Japan, conducted between December 15 and 21, revealed the presence of cesium at 1 becquerel per kilogram (Bq/kg – a unit measuring radioactivity intensity) in a food additive flavoring product. The imported quantity amounted to 1 ton.
While the established threshold for radioactivity in food is 100 µg/kg, the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) mandates the submission of test certificates for additional nuclides, such as strontium, when trace amounts are detected.
In response, importers frequently opt to cancel imports, returning or destroying them, rather than submitting certificates for additional nuclides when even trace amounts of radioactivity are identified.
This incident marks the fourth instance this year where cesium was discovered in processed foods like miso and bonito extract, falling below the stipulated standard. In each case, the products were promptly returned and subsequently destroyed.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
