From ex-skf, December 13:
The US peacetime limit for radioactive cesium in water and drinks is 3.0 picocuries, or 0.1 becquerel/liter. The same for food is 170 becquerels/kg.
The US FDA has the Derived Intervension Level (DIL) which is 1200 becquerels/kg, and the level of concern at 370 becquerels/kg to govern the domestic food in interstate commerce and the imported food as a non-enforceable "recommendation".
Scanning the official webpage of Shizuoka Prefecture where the results of tea testing are published, you'll notice that testing seems to have been one bag at one tea plantation in one city. We know how well the similar testing of rice in Fukushima Prefecture has turned out to be.
â¢Number of teas that tested with radioactive cesium: all of 102 samples tested
â¢Number of teas that tested between 100 and 370 becquerels/kg): 46
â¢Number of teas that tested above the "level of concern"(370 becquerels/kg) in the US: 21
Tuesday, October 18, 2011: Radioactive Tea from TOKYO: 3 Exceeding Provisional Safety Limit for Cesium
550 to 690 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium detected in the commercial teas grown in 3 tea plantations in Tokyo. The Tokyo Metropolitan government tested 30 teas in early October, and radioactive cesium was detected from 29 of them.
Back in May, three elementary school in Itabashi-ku, Tokyo had the pupils pick radioactive tea leaves (2,700 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium) as part of their social studies activities. But that wasn't, apparently, a big deal since it was not a commercial product.
October 19:
Of 1,081 brands,
â¢97 (or 9% of total) were found with radioactive cesium exceeding the provisional safety limit, as much as 2,063 becquerels/kg;
â¢912 (or 84% of total) were found with radioactive cesium below the provisional safety limit, but as much as 490 becquerels/kg. (I'm counting the number of the brands again to make sure, but I don't think I'm far off.)
They have already sold most of the teas that exceeded the provisional safety limit for cesium.
October 11: A tea plantation in Shizuoka proudly displays the certificate that says the tea from the plantation contains 175 becquerels/kg of radioactive cesium, as the proof of safety.
October 2, from Tokyo Shinbun: According to our research, we have been able to confirm instances of goods being sold after diluting the radioactive cesium content - garden soil and green teas...It has been a standard practice to mix milk from different locations. The same goes for rice...There is no requirement to show the name of prefecture where the product is made...However, for now, we can only count on the voluntary effort by the industries.