Outline of the Results of the Food-related Health Risk Assessment
Based on currently available scientific knowledge, the FSCJ discussed additional radiation exposure through contaminated food consumption, and concluded that health effects could be found when the lifetime additional effective dose exceeds around 100 mSv, excluding radiation exposure from everyday life.
Although there are some unclear points in the estimation of radiation doses, etc., on the basis of findings of health effects after the Chornobyl NPS Accident concerning risks of thyroid gland cancer and leukemia, it is likely that the susceptibility to radiation is higher in childhood than in adulthood (p.115 of Vol. 1, “Difference in Radiosensitivity by Age”).
On the other hand, if any health effects may occur by exposure to radiation below 100 mSv, it would be very small. As effects of radiation and effects caused by other factors are unlikely to be clearly distinguished and the epidemiological data, due to the small study population, is insufficient to prove the health effects of additional exposure, such as a causal association with cancer, the FSCJ has concluded that it is difficult to identify health effects from the extra cumulative exposure to radiation doses below 100 mSv.
The lifetime additional effective cumulative dose of "around 100 mSv” is not a threshold meaning that radiation exposure below this level causes no health effects nor that radiation exposure above this level surely causes health effects. This is the dose value which risk management organizations should consider for appropriate management of foods.
(Related to p.100 of Vol. 1, “Risks of Cancer Death from Low-Dose Exposure”)
- Included in this reference material on March 31, 2013