Emergency Preparedness & Response
- Specific Hazards
- Bioterrorism
- A–Z
- Anthrax
- What You Need To Know
- Mail Handlers
- Questions & Answers
- Additional Fact Sheets & Overviews
- Cutaneous Anthrax
- Diagnosis
- Environment
- Exposure Management
- Infection Control
- Lab Testing
- Images
- Preparation & Planning
- References
- Surveillance & Investigation
- Training & Education
- Treatment
- Vaccination
- Work Safety
- Arenaviruses
- Botulism
- Brucella
- Cholera
- Ebola virus
- E. coli
- Food safety threats
- Glanders
- Lassa fever
- Marburg virus
- Melioidosis
- Plague
- Q fever
- Salmonella
- Shigella
- Smallpox
- Smallpox Basics
- Vaccine Basics
- Clinicians
- Vaccination Q & A (for professionals)
- Health Officials
- People Selected for Response Teams
- Diagnosis/
Evaluation - Lab Testing
- Infection Control
- Surveillance & Investigation
- Preparation & Planning
- Response
- Vaccination
- Images
- Medical Management
- Training & Education
- References
- Tularemia
- Typhoid fever
- Viral hemorrhagic fevers
- Anthrax
- List by Category
- Fact Sheets
- Case Definitions
- Training
- Surveillance
- Preparation & Planning
- First Responders
- Lab Info
- A–Z
- Chemical
- A–Z
- Abrin
- Adamsite
- Ammonia
- Arsenic
- Arsine
- Barium
- Benzene
- Brevetoxin
- Bromine
- BZ
- Carbon monoxide
- Chlorine
- Chromium
- Colchicine
- Cyanide
- Digitalis
- Ethylene glycol
- Hydrazine
- Hydrofluoric acid
- Lewisite
- Melamine
- Mercury
- Methyl bromide
- Methyl isocyanate
- Nicotine
- Nitrogen mustard
- Opioids
- Organic solvents
- Osmium tetroxide
- Paraquat
- Phosgene
- Phosgene oxime
- Phosphine
- Phosphorus
- Pulmonary agents
- Ricin
- Sarin
- Saxitoxin
- Selenium
- Sodium azide
- Sodium monofluoroacetate
- Soman
- Strychnine
- Sulfur mustard
- Sulfuryl Fluoride
- Super Warfarin
- Tabun
- Tetrodotoxin
- Thallium
- Trichothecene
- Unidentified Chemical
- VX
- List by Category
- Chemical-Specific Fact Sheets
- Toxicology FAQs
- Case Definitions
- Toxic Syndrome Descriptions
- Toxicological Profiles
- Training
- First Responders
- Medical Management
- Emergency Response Cards
- Lab Info
- Surveillance
- Preparation & Planning
- A–Z
- Gulf Oil Spill 2010
- Radiation
- Mass Casualties
- Natural Disasters & Severe Weather
- Recent Outbreaks & Incidents
- Bioterrorism
- Preparedness for All Hazards
- Children
- Clinician Resources
- About COCA
- COCA Partner Organizations
- COCA Conference Calls
- Conference Calls - 2013
- Conference Calls - 2012
- Conference Calls - 2011
- Conference Calls - 2010
- June 3, 2010
- June 9, 2010
- June 22, 2010
- July 8, 2010
- July 27, 2010
- August 3, 2010
- August 17, 2010
- August 30, 2010
- September 2, 2010
- September 16, 2010
- September 21, 2010
- September 22, 2010
- October 1, 2010
- November 2, 2010
- November 9, 2010
- November 23, 2010
- December 2, 2010
- December 7, 2010
- December 14, 2010
- December 15, 2010
- Continuing Education Credit for COCA Calls
- Updates & Reminders
- Reminders - 2012
- Reminders - 2011
- Reminders - 2010
- Updates - 2013
- Updates - 2012
- January 3, 2012
- January 17, 2012
- January 30, 2012
- February 13, 2012
- February 27, 2012
- March 12, 2012
- March 26, 2012
- April 9, 2012
- April 23, 2012
- May 7, 2012
- May 21, 2012
- June 4, 2012
- June 18, 2012
- July 2, 2012
- July 16, 2012
- July 30, 2012
- August 13, 2012
- August 27, 2012
- September 10, 2012
- September 24, 2012
- October 8, 2012
- October 22, 2012
- November 5, 2012
- November 19, 2012
- December 3, 2012
- Updates - 2011
- January 3, 2011
- January 18, 2011
- January 31, 2011
- February 14, 2011
- February 28, 2011
- March 14, 2011
- March 21, 2011
- April 4, 2011
- April 11, 2011
- April 25, 2011
- May 9, 2011
- May 23, 2011
- June 6, 2011
- June 20, 2011
- July 5, 2011
- July 18, 2011
- August 1, 2011
- August 15, 2011
- August 29, 2011
- September 12, 2011
- September 26, 2011
- October 11, 2011
- November 7, 2011
- November 21, 2011
- December 5, 2011
- December 19, 2011
- Updates - 2010
- Join the COCA Mailing List
- Conference & Training Opportunities
- Emergency Preparedness and Response Training Resources
- Communicating in the First Hours
- Coping with a Disaster
- Crisis & Emergency Risk Communication (CERC)
- Health Alert Network (HAN)
- HAN Jurisdictions
- HAN Message Types
- Sign-Up for HAN Updates
- HAN Archive
- 2013
- 2012
- 2011
- 2010
- 2009
- HAN00304
- HAN00303
- HAN00302
- HAN00301
- HAN00300
- HAN00299
- HAN00298
- HAN00297
- HAN00296
- HAN00295
- HAN00294
- HAN00293
- HAN00292
- HAN00291
- HAN00290
- HAN00289
- HAN00288
- HAN00287
- HAN00286
- HAN00285
- HAN00284
- HAN00283
- HAN00282
- HAN00281
- HAN00280
- 2008
- HAN00279
- HAN00278
- HAN00277
- HAN00276
- HAN00275
- HAN00274
- HAN00273
- HAN00272
- HAN00271
- HAN00270
- HAN00269
- HAN00268
- 2007
- 2006
- HAN00256
- HAN00255
- HAN00254
- HAN00253
- HAN00252
- HAN00251
- HAN00250
- HAN00249
- HAN00248
- HAN00247
- HAN00246
- HAN00245
- HAN00244
- HAN00243
- HAN00242
- HAN00241
- HAN00240
- 2005
- HAN00239
- HAN00238
- HAN00237
- HAN00236
- HAN00235
- HAN00234
- HAN00233
- HAN00232
- HAN00231
- HAN00230
- HAN00229
- HAN00228
- HAN00227
- HAN00226
- HAN00225
- HAN00224
- HAN00223
- HAN00222
- HAN00221
- HAN00220
- 2004
- HAN00219
- HAN00218
- HAN00217
- HAN00216
- HAN00215
- HAN00214
- HAN00213
- HAN00212
- HAN00211
- HAN00210
- HAN00209
- HAN00208
- HAN00207
- HAN00206
- HAN00205
- HAN00204
- HAN00203
- HAN00202
- HAN00201
- HAN00200
- HAN00199
- HAN00198
- HAN00197
- HAN00196
- HAN00195
- HAN00194
- HAN00193
- HAN00192
- HAN00191
- HAN00190
- HAN00189
- HAN00188
- HAN00187
- HAN00186
- HAN00185
- HAN00184
- HAN00183
- HAN00182
- HAN00181
- 2003
- HAN00180
- HAN00179
- HAN00178
- HAN00177
- HAN00176
- HAN00175
- HAN00174
- HAN00173
- HAN00172
- HAN00171
- HAN00170
- HAN00169
- HAN00168
- HAN00167
- HAN00166
- HAN00165
- HAN00164
- HAN00163
- HAN00162
- HAN00161
- HAN00160
- HAN00159
- HAN00158
- HAN00157
- HAN00156
- HAN00155
- HAN00154
- HAN00153
- HAN00152
- HAN00151
- HAN00150
- HAN00149
- HAN00148
- HAN00147
- HAN00146
- HAN00145
- HAN00144
- HAN00143
- HAN00142
- HAN00141
- HAN00140
- HAN00139
- HAN00138
- HAN00137
- HAN00136
- HAN00135
- HAN00134
- HAN00133
- HAN00132
- HAN00131
- HAN00130
- HAN00129
- HAN00128
- HAN00127
- HAN00126
- HAN00125
- HAN00124
- HAN00123
- HAN00122
- HAN00121
- HAN00120
- HAN00119
- HAN00118
- HAN00117
- HAN00116
- HAN00115
- HAN00114
- HAN00113
- HAN00112
- HAN00111
- HAN00110
- HAN00109
- HAN00108
- 2002
- HAN00107
- HAN00106
- HAN00105
- HAN00104
- HAN00103
- HAN00102
- HAN00101
- HAN00100
- HAN00099
- HAN00098
- HAN00097
- HAN00096
- HAN00095
- HAN00094
- HAN00093
- HAN00092
- HAN00091
- HAN00090
- HAN00089
- HAN00088
- HAN00087
- HAN00086
- HAN00085
- HAN00084
- HAN00083
- HAN00082
- HAN00081
- HAN00080
- HAN00079
- HAN00078
- HAN00077
- HAN00076
- HAN00075
- HAN00074
- HAN00073
- HAN00072
- HAN00071
- HAN00070
- HAN00069
- HAN00068
- HAN00067
- 2001
- HAN00066
- HAN00065
- HAN00064
- HAN00063
- HAN00062
- HAN00061
- HAN00060
- HAN00059
- HAN00058
- HAN00057
- HAN00056
- HAN00055
- HAN00054
- HAN00053
- HAN00052
- HAN00051
- HAN00050
- HAN00049
- HAN00048
- HAN00047
- HAN00046
- HAN00045
- HAN00044
- HAN00043
- HAN00042
- HAN00041
- HAN00040
- HAN00039
- HAN00038
- HAN00037
- HAN00036
- HAN00035
- HAN00034
- HAN00033
- HAN00032
- HAN00031
- HAN00030
- HAN00029
- HAN00028
- HAN00027
- HAN00025
- HAN00024
- HAN00023
- HAN00022
- HAN00021
- HAN00020
- HAN00019
- HAN00018
- HAN00017
- HAN00016
- HAN00015
- HAN00014
- HAN00013
- HAN00012
- HAN00011
- HAN00010
- HAN00009
- HAN00008
- HAN00007
- HAN00006
- HAN00005
- HAN00004
- HAN00003
- HAN00002
- HAN00001
- Lab Info
- Laboratory Response Network (LRN)
- Preparation & Planning
- Related Links
- Risk Communicator
- Issue 3
- Emergency & Risk Communication
- Anthrax Scare
- Pan Flu Preparedness
- YouTube is Your Friend
- Additional Resources
- Contributors
- Issue 2
- Priceless Collaboration for Hurricane Preparedness
- Talking to WHO's John Rainford - New WHO Guidelines
- Emergency Communication Challenges in Hurricane Katrina Response
- Hurricane Readiness in High-Risk Areas: Survey Results
- Elements of a Successful Exercise: Functional vs Tabletop and Beyond
- Collaboration & Communication During Emergency Response
- Public Health Observances
- Calendar of Training Opportunities
- Contributors
- Issue 1
- Introduction to the Risk Communicator
- Social Media & Emergency Communication
- Messaging Is Matter of Trust
- Program Spotlight: Frontlines of the CA Wildfires
- Research Summaries: Summaries of Work from Deborah Glik and Craig Lefebvre
- Risk Communication Opportunities During National Observances
- Upcoming Conferences, Training, and Workshops of Interest to Risk Communicators
- Contributors
- About the Newsletter
- SNAPS
- Social Media
- Surveillance
- Training & Education
- What CDC Is Doing
- What You Can Do
- Blog: Public Health Matters
- What's New
- A - Z Index
Frequently Asked Questions About Iodine-131 Found in Milk
Is it safe to drink milk?
Yes. People do not need to stop drinking milk because of concerns about radiation at these low levels. The levels of Iodine-131 found in milk are extremely low, and many times less than the FDA intervention level.
What are the levels that would start to affect my thyroid?
The level of Iodine-131 that would affect thyroid health depends on many factors. The developing fetus, newborns, infants, and young children are particularly sensitive to iodine-131. The FDA’s level for intervention is conservative and provides a large safety margin to protect public health.
How long will there be traces of iodine-131 from Japan in milk?
Given the uncertainty related to the nuclear reactors in Japan, we don’t know how levels of Iodine-131 currently seen in milk may change over time. However, we do know that Iodine-131 becomes less radioactive quickly in the environment. We are continuing to monitor milk so that we know when levels go up or down.
Are there any groups of people that are especially sensitive to iodine-131?
The developing fetus, newborns, infants and young children are particularly sensitive to iodine-131. However, levels being measured now are still many times below the FDA intervention level, even for these groups.
Why does Iodine-131 collect in milk?
Airborne Iodine-131 that deposits on pastures may be consumed by dairy cows. A portion of the Iodine-131 consumed by a cow would then be transferred into the cow's milk.
Should I drink goat’s milk or other types of milk?
Historically, when cow’s milk has been affected by Iodine-131, so has goat’s milk.
What if I have thyroid disease? Would Iodine-131 affect me any differently?
The effects of Iodine-131 on health depend on many factors. At this time, levels of Iodine-131 are still many times below the FDA intervention level. If you have specific questions or concerns, contact your physician.
- Share
- Add this to...
- Favorites
- Del.icio.us
- Digg
- Google Bookmarks
- Technorati
- Yahoo MyWeb
- Updates
- Subscribe
- Listen
- Page last updated April 5, 2011
- Page last reviewed April 5, 2011
- Content source: Radiation Studies Branch (RSB), Division of Environmental Hazards and Health Effects (EHHE), National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH), Coordinating Center for Environmental Health and Injury Prevention (CCEHIP)
Get email updates
To receive email updates about this page, enter your email address:
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348 - Contact CDC-INFO