Radioactive iodine found in breast milk of Japanese mothers

The breast milk of four Japanese mothers is found to contain small quantities of radioactive iodine. The radiation contamination issue came to light after tests conducted by a citizen’s group in Japan. The test was carried out on the samples of breast milk taken from nine brestfeeding mothers living in northeast and east of Tokyo. The government now faces calls for the full sacle investigation regarding the impact of the nuclear disaster on mothers and babies. The Nuclear Safety Commission of Japan is yet to set up the legal safety levels for radioactive substances in breast milk. 

However, the breast milk readings were below the safety limit of 100 becquerels per kg of tap water consumption by infants under one year of age and no radioactive cesium was found. The findings of the study have sparked concerns surrounding the impact of the nuclear crisis on mothers and babies. Kikuko Murakami, who heads the citizen’s group, told Kyodo News. ”We want the government to conduct an extensive investigation swiftly.”

Posted by Sue Tapply
Summary of Story from The Telegraph, April 21, 2011