"Federal food safety officials said cloves imported from Indonesia were found contaminated with radioactive Cesium-137, prompting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to block the shipment from entering the country. In a news release, the FDA said U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Port of Long Beach detected Cesium-137 in a shipping container earlier this month. The agency said follow-up testing confirmed the isotope's presence in one sample of cloves."
"The levels of the contaminant detected in the spice were not high enough to officially trigger a safety concern, but FDA officials warn there's still a risk if people are exposed to these low levels of radiation over a long period of time, or if they are already exposed to other higher levels of radiation in their environment or through medical procedures."
"The cloves, along with shrimp from a separate Indonesian exporter, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, were added to a nationwide import alert released on Sept. 18 that has barred any future shipments from these companies until they take steps to prove their products are no longer at risk of contamination. The FDA said the contaminated products were detected at the ports before being sent to stores."
Cloves imported from Indonesia tested positive for Cesium-137, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration blocked the shipment at the Port of Long Beach. Follow-up testing confirmed the isotope in one clove sample. Spice products from PT Natural Java Spice and shrimp from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati were added to a nationwide import alert issued Sept. 18, halting future shipments until companies demonstrate products are free of contamination. The contaminated items were intercepted at ports and none entered U.S. commerce. Detected levels did not trigger an immediate safety concern, but long-term exposure risks remain. The FDA is coordinating with Indonesian regulators to establish preventive measures and ensure compliance before allowing future shipments.
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]