BANGKOK, Aug. 26- The Department of Fisheries has stepped up the strictness of inspecting fish and aquatic products imported from Japan. After Japan released treated radioactive contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean. to demolish the power plant and restore the area

Thavorn Tanjai, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Fisheries revealed that The Department of Fisheries has increased rigor by enhancing the monitoring and sampling of imported seafood from the annual operational plan. Focus on sampling seafood imported from at-risk cities Which is close to nuclear accident areas such as Tokyo, Fukushima, Chiba, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Miyagi, Niigata, Nagano, Saitama, etc. After on August 24, 2023, Japan released water. Contaminated with treated radioactive materials from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant into the Pacific Ocean. to demolish the power plant and restore the area This raises concerns about the importation of seafood that may be contaminated with toxins. Although it has been assessed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) under the World Health Organization (WHO) that treated water has radioactive contamination at a safe level. No impact on health and environment

The Department of Fisheries has been responsible for inspecting frozen fish and shrimp imports at customs since 2016 from the transfer of the task of inspecting unprocessed agricultural imports from the Food and Drug Administration. which operates under the Food Act B.E. 2522 in cooperation with the Office of Atoms for Peace Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation in rigorous measurement of radioactivity in imported aquatic specimens To prevent the importation of food contaminated with radioactive substances at unsafe levels. which from the inspection until now Radioactive contamination was found not to exceed the standards specified in the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health. And according to data from the Japanese Ministry of Health examining 4 samples of seafood and fishery products from Fukushima City, 375 samples in 2022 until April 2023, the radioactive contamination value was found to not exceed the standards specified in the notification of the Ministry of Public Health of Thailand as well. If radioactive contamination is found in food that exceeds the specified standards, it will order to recall or suspend imports immediately.

The Department of Fisheries is aware of the safety of consumers, with strict surveillance and inspection measures for aquatic products imported from Japan to ensure that aquatic products imported into the country are safe for people. real consumption If a consumer finds any food product suspected to be harmful Complaints can be made at Department of Fisheries hotline 0-2579-1878 or 0-2579-3614-5 Aquatic animal import-export service centers and production factors or hotline FDA 1556 or provincial public health offices in every province. .-Thai News Agency

Source: Thai News Agency