<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<sec>
<h3>Introduction</h3>
<p>Radioactive contamination of the environment is one of the greatest threats after a nuclear accident due to released radionuclides. From a radiotoxicological point of view, the most important radionuclide is caesium-137. Formed mainly during nuclear explosions, caesium-137 can persist in the soil for many years, from where it constantly enters the food chain. One of the elements of ensuring food safety is the monitoring of its radioactive contamination, mainly with radioactive caesium isotopes. The aim of the study was to determine the content of caesium-137 in food of animal origin.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Material and Methods</h3>
<p>A total of 1,416 muscle samples from cattle, sheep, pigs, game and fish, as well as chicken eggs and dairy products were examined using gamma-ray spectrometry.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Results</h3>
<p>Caesium-137 activities ranged from below the minimum detectable activity concentration (MDC) to over 4,000 Bq/kg wet weight (w.w.). Most often, the values did not exceed the MDC or were in a range below 100 Bq/kg. The exception was the muscle tissue of game animals, especially wild boar, where a significant activity of caesium-137 was recorded, the highest of which was 4,136.8 ± 238 Bq/kg w.w. Committed effective doses determined for each matrix ranged from 0.01 to 0.83 µSv/kg, with the highest value determined for wild boar.</p>
</sec>
<sec>
<h3>Conclusion</h3>
<p>The calculated exposure doses with values well below the accepted low radiation dose (100 mSv) did not indicate any significant amounts of ionising radiation from the food consumed.</p>
</sec>
</abstract>

Introduction
Radioactive contamination of the environment is one of the greatest threats after a nuclear accident due to released radionuclides. From a radiotoxicological point of view, the most important radionuclide is caesium-137. Formed mainly during nuclear explosions, caesium-137 can persist in the soil for many years, from where it constantly enters the food chain. One of the elements of ensuring food safety is the monitoring of its radioactive contamination, mainly with radioactive caesium isotopes. The aim of the study was to determine the content of caesium-137 in food of animal origin.


Material and Methods
A total of 1,416 muscle samples from cattle, sheep, pigs, game and fish, as well as chicken eggs and dairy products were examined using gamma-ray spectrometry.


Results
Caesium-137 activities ranged from below the minimum detectable activity concentration (MDC) to over 4,000 Bq/kg wet weight (w.w.). Most often, the values did not exceed the MDC or were in a range below 100 Bq/kg. The exception was the muscle tissue of game animals, especially wild boar, where a significant activity of caesium-137 was recorded, the highest of which was 4,136.8 ± 238 Bq/kg w.w. Committed effective doses determined for each matrix ranged from 0.01 to 0.83 µSv/kg, with the highest value determined for wild boar.


Conclusion
The calculated exposure doses with values well below the accepted low radiation dose (100 mSv) did not indicate any significant amounts of ionising radiation from the food consumed.

Levels of caesium-137 in food of animal origin in Poland

Journal of Veterinary Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

{"article-title":"Levels of caesium-137 in food of animal origin in Poland"}

Introduction
Radioactive contamination of the environment is one of the greatest threats after a nuclear accident due to released radionuclides. From a...

Levels of caesium-137 in food of animal origin in Poland

Published Online: Sep 20, 2023

Page range: 407 - 414

Received: May 08, 2023

Accepted: Jul 14, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2023-0044

Keywords
Cs, contamination, animal food, Chernobyl, effective equivalent dose

© 2023 Magdalena Gembal et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Levels of caesium-137 in food of animal origin in Poland

Published Online: Sep 20, 2023

Page range: 407 - 414

Received: May 08, 2023

Accepted: Jul 14, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2023-0044

KeywordsCs, contamination, animal food, Chernobyl, effective equivalent dose

© 2023 Magdalena Gembal et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Cs, contamination, animal food, Chernobyl, effective equivalent dose