By IANS,
New Delhi : India Tuesday suspended food imports from Japan for three months or until concerns remain in the wake of radiation hazards arising from the Fukushima nuclear plant.
“Import of food articles coming from Japan stand suspended with immediate effect for three months or till such time as credible information is available that the radiation hazard has subsided to acceptable limits,” a health ministry announcement said.
“Weekly reviews will be carried out by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI),” it said.
The advisory follows a review of the situation arising out of radioactive incidents in nuclear power plants in Japan and possible contamination of Japanese food imported into India.
“It was concluded that since the radiation is spreading or expanding horizontally in other parts of Japan, it may result in further radioactive contamination in the supply chain of food exports from Japan,” it said.
Representatives and experts from Board of Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT), Bhabha Atomic Research Institute (BARC), Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR), Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) and Shriram Institute for Industrial Research participated in the meeting.
India decided March 15 to test all food items coming into India from Japan for radiation in view of the explosions at the Fukushima nuclear plant following a deadly earthquake and tsunami March 11.