May 28, 2011
HONG KONG (AFP) - A small amount of radioactive iodine-131 has been found in a sample of fish taken from a wholesale market in Hong Kong, the government said on Friday.
Hong Kong has been monitoring radiation levels in the city's food and water supply and atmosphere in the wake of the crisis at Japan's Fukushima nuclear power station.
The level of radiation found in the sample of grey mullet by Hong Kong's Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department -- 7.7 becquerels per kilogram -- was well below the government guideline of 100 becquerels per kg.
"Based on risk assessment, normal consumption of grey mullets at this low radiation level will not pose any health risk to the consumer," the government said in a statement.
The statement did not say whether the iodine could be traced to the Fukushima plant, which released radioactive material into the air and water after it was badly damaged in Japan's earthquake-tsunami disaster.
