Japan recalls Meiji Step milk powder due to radiation contamination

Recently, Meiji Milk Company, Japan announced that it discovered traces of radioactive cesium-137 and cesium-134 in a batch of Meiji Step milk produced in March.

The company had previously received a complaint from a customer and had conducted an inspection. The results showed that the radioactive content in the 850 gram cans was within the permissible limit and posed no health risk.

Meiji Step products recalled due to radioactive contamination. Photo: Bloomberg

Specifically, the radioactive content of cesium-134 was detected at 15.2 becquerels per kilogram, while the content of cesium-137 was 16.5 becquerels per kilogram. According to the company, the allowable level for milk and milk products for children is 200 becquerels per kilogram.

Still, the company is recalling 400,000 cans of Meiji Step, a formula for babies 9 months and older, packaged in April and mostly sold in May, Bloomberg reported. The contaminated cans have an expiration date of October 2012.

The recalled products were manufactured at a factory in Saitama Prefecture, about 200 kilometers from the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant (where the radioactive leak occurred).

According to experts, the dose of radiation in the milk carton is very small so it does not affect children's health.

The company said it was still unclear how the batch of products became contaminated with radiation. Meiji also confirmed that the rest of its products were safe.

The findings have renewed concerns about the risk of radiation contamination in food in Japan nine months after the Fukushima nuclear plant explosion.

Meiji is a milk brand that is quite popular among Vietnamese mothers. The Meiji Step product line for children 9 months and older is on the market as a hand-carried product with a price of over 500,000 VND per box.

According to VnExpress