Radioactive Tea Leaves

Japanese authorities found high levels of cesium in green tea leave products, so they have banned the export of green teas from several regions.

Japanese authorities have already banned other items including milk and spinach because of radiation fears, but they haven’t stopped there. Green tea products are now on the banned list.

Green tea exports are banned from Japan.

Green tea plantations became aware of radiation contamination last month from sample tests in the Kanagawa district.

Then authorities found 570 becquerels, the unit of radioactivity, of cesium per kilogram in green tea leaves from Minamiashigara. The legal limit is only 500 becquerels.

At this point, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has banned tea from the following regions: Tochigi, Chiba, Kanagawa and Ibaraki. Japan is taking serious interest in radiation fears and assures the public that it is strictly regulating exported products.

Even though tea products are banned from select regions in Japan, Americans have no need to be alarmed. Most of our tea products come from China.