Japan Radiation Makes Its Way into Milk

By Erin Sherbert Thu., Mar. 31 2011 at 7:54 AM

It does a body good ... or does it?

Before you pour that next bowl of cereal, read this: Scientists in Berkeley told reporters that indeed the radioactive plum from the disastrous nuclear leak in Japan has made its way into an American staple -- milk.

The good news is that scientists said the low levels of radiation are "minuscule" and not harmful to people. Sort of. You would have to drink it everyday for about a year-and-a-half to feel any side effects from it.

Last week, state officials confirmed that the low doses of radiation had been found in rainwater and air samples at the UC Berkeley campus.
However, health officials said a person would have to drink 500 liters of it to feel the effects, which is unlikely considering the average person drinks about two liters of water on a daily basis.

Radiation form the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear plant initially reached Southern California on March 18, but at that point, tests showed that the radiation and its effects had greatly dissipated.

So the takeaway is this: Now might be a good time to go vegan.

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Tags:

Japan, milk, radiation, UC Berkeley, West Coast

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Bea Hatch

Run! Hide under a rock! BE AFRAID!!!

No, actually driving in your car is a million times more hazardous than any radiation from Japan.

That might be fine, if it was just going to happen on one or two days, but we have no idea how often it will makes its way over here - as there is no end in sight to the problem with the reactors in Japan.

Beavis .. uh

It took 17 days to reached california, the radiation are minuscule and not harmful,so a little more minuscule, and a little mooore minuscule, and a little moooore minuscule, by the 4th of July how maney mag-uscule is that ? uh...huh...huh..

MscupcAkers

Go vegan....but if it is in our water and we water our produce then it is in our vegetables...and if it is in our milk then what about cheese and other dairy products produced with that milk???

Concerned Parent

How about for infants? The only liquid or food they eat is formula that is mixed from water. And since they are smaller and growing, infants' bodies pretty much take up everything they eat. Is the radiation safe then?

MscupcAkers

Very true concerned parent, I also have a 4 month old...They do make soy based formulas but we can't avoid the added water.