12 years after Chernobyl
12 years after Chernobyl
26 April 1998: 12th anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor disaster
To mark the 12th anniversary of the Chernobyl reactor disaster, the Physical Environmental Analysis working group at the Institute of Physics at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg carried out a measurement campaign on the contamination of food with caesium-137.
A total of 36 samples were analysed. The working group focussed on two main areas when selecting the samples. Firstly, children's and baby food was analysed, as children are particularly at risk with regard to possible radiation exposure. Secondly, forest fruits and game meat were analysed, as significant contamination can still be expected here today.
Caesium contamination of food
Children's and baby food as well as dairy milk from the local region are almost uncontaminated. In many samples, the measured value for caesium-137 was below the detection limit of approx. 0.3 Bq/kg, in some cases within the detection limit.
The partly dramatic situation in Belarus is expressed by the contamination of a breast milk sample with approx. 30 Bq/kg. This value is at the lower end for the region there. According to a Belarusian report from 1997, only approx. 11% of the breast milk samples analysed were contaminated with less than 37 Bq/kg. The food limit value for infants recommended by the BUND radiation commission is 10 Bq/kg.
In the other foodstuffs analysed(game meat, tinned forest fruit, tinned mushrooms, honey, nuts), no worrying caesium concentrations were found for the most part.
Two samples of frozen blueberries were an exception. According to the German distributor, these were berries from Belarus. Here the caesium levels were 763 Bq/kg and 609 Bq/kg respectively and therefore above the EU limit value. These berries should therefore not have been imported into Germany. Based on the measurement results, the distributor will refrain from importing these berries until further notice.
Measurement results for the analysed samples
Sample description | Shelf life | Batch | Cs-137 |
Infant and baby food | |||
Infant milk formula NESTLE BEBA PRE | 31.12.1998 | L/WMXAL04 | uN |
Infant formula MILUPA APTAMIL | 18.3.1999 | L0491824c | uN |
Infant milk formula MILUPA MILUMIL | 24.6.1999 | L1750647 | 0.6± 0.1 |
Infant food HIPP, tomato-vegetable-organic-beef | 28.2.2000 | 04/59L01 | uN |
Infant food ALETE, potatoes-peas-organic-beef | 31.11.1999 | WL4F | uN |
Breast milk from Belarus (from 1996) | 29.3± 1.4 | ||
Milk | |||
Milk BREMERLAND Fresh whole milk, 3.5 % fat | 28.4.1998 | 0.5± 0.1 | |
Milk IGEMO Fresh whole milk, 3.5 % fat | 21.4.1998 | 0900920 | 0.5± 0.05 |
Milk IGEMO Fresh whole milk, 3.5 % fat | 22.4.1998 | 09008/22 | 0.4± 0.05 |
Venison | |||
Venison (goulash, purchased 09.04.98 Kreienborg OL) | 37.8± 0.6 | ||
Venison (venison leaf, purchased 23.04.98 Oltmanns OL) | 7.5± 1 | ||
Wild boar (fillet, purchased 23.04.98 Oltmanns OL) | 3.7± 0.2 | ||
Beef (Studentenwerk Oldenburg) | uN | ||
Canned mushrooms | |||
Chanterelles SCHWAMMERL KINI (purchased from ALDI OL) | 2.2.2002 | LSK | 4.8± 0.6 |
Chanterelles OBERPFÄLZER WALDFRÜCHTE | 31.12.2000 | P5SH15012 | uN |
Mixed mushrooms OBERPFÄLZER WALDFRÜCHTE | 31.12.2002 | MPE11003 | uN |
Dried porcini mushrooms UBENA class II | 30.11.2000 | JDCLGBH | uN |
Forest fruit preserves | |||
Blueberries SCHLEMMERFROST (origin white sooty) | 764± 4 | ||
Blueberries SCHLEMMERFROST (origin Belarus) | 609± 1 | ||
Blueberry jam SCHWARTAU EXTRA | 18.8.1999 | 13.3± 0.5 | |
Blueberry jam BODE (purchase FAMILA OL) | 29.2.1999 | L:P12:08 | 7.3± 0.5 |
Blueberry spread FRA DEN GAMLE FABRIK | 21.7.1999 | 4.4± 0.2 | |
Blueberry jam ZENTIS Bel Royal | 5.1.1999 | 3.7± 0.5 | |
Blueberries, forest, ODENWALD | 31.12.2001 | L/A/343 | 1.7± 0.4 |
Blueberries NATREEN, ODENWALD | 31.12.2001 | LA293/06 | 0.5± 0.1 |
Blueberries TITZ (purchase ALDI OL) | 18.2.2002 | K115/30 | uN |
Cranberries, wild, ODENWALD | 31.12.2000 | L/A/114 | 15.9± 0.4 |
Cranberries, wild, SONNEN-BASSERMANN | 31.12.2001 | LA-307/17 | 10.1± 0.2 |
Cranberries, wild, KINGS CROWN (purchase ALDI OL) | 27.3.1999 | M610/44 | 3.3± 0.4 |
Cranberry dessert, wild, VALENZI | 5.5.2001 | L/05/05 | 2.9± 0.1 |
Wild berry jam ZENTIS Bel Royal | 5.8± 0.5 | ||
Forest fruit jam MÖVENPICK Gourmet Frühst. | 9.10.1998 | uN | |
Honey, nuts | |||
Honey, heather, BIOPHAR Naturkost (purchase FAMILA) | L371848 | 10.7± 0.8 | |
Honey, forest, LANGNESE cold extracted | L80037 | 1± 0.3 | |
Honey, forest, BIOPHAR Imker Auslese (purchase FAMILA) | L372610 | uN | |
Hazelnut kernels ground JUMBO | 31.10.1998 | FAN1201 | 2.7± 0.4 |
Hazelnut kernels TOBIA (purchase ALDI OL) | 31.12.1998 | 1.4± 0.6 |
- uN: below the detection limit of approx. 0.3 Bq/kg.
- The simple standard deviation is given as the statistical measurement error.
- Measurement result and statistical error: last digit rounded.