Is Misawa's food safe to eat?
The Japanese Department of Food Safety has been actively investigating the extent of potential radiation contamination in all affected prefectures and is committed to protecting the public from exposure. Our military health inspectors do not inspect food facilities off-base, but we work closely with Japanese Government officials and are monitoring events as they develop.
The Aomori Prefecture has been screening 51 locally produced items for radiation, and all tests have been negative. The following products from Aomori Prefecture present no health risk:
Meat: Beef
Grain: Rice Straw, Brown Rice, Paddy Rice, Wheat, Buckwheat, Irish Potato, Chinese Yam, Sweet Corn
Beans: Soybean, Green Soybean
Produce: Japanese Radish, Small Radish, Carrot, Burdock, Cabbage, Spinach, Broccoli, Lettuce, Green Onion, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Pumpkin, Apple, Garlic, Melon, Watermelon, Strawberry, Pear, Peach, Grapes, Cranberry, Plum, Mushroom, Cooking Chrysanthemum
Dairy Products: Milk, Eggs
Sea Food: Mackerel, Black Mackerel, Shark, Flatfish, Yellowtail, Tuna, Yellow Fin Tuna, Sagittated Calamari, Sea Urchin, Ear Shell, Ark Shell, Scallop, Sea Tangle
No food products - including beef - have been exported from Fukushima. All beef sold and all beef prepared for consumption on base is shipped to Misawa from the United States.
Any food alerts from US Army Veterinary Command (USA VETCOM) are communicated immediately to all bases once a threat is detected. According to Public Health, there have been no warnings regarding potentially contaminated beef in Aomori Prefecture.
Currently, neither the Government of Japan nor the US Government have issued any related cautions or bans.
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