Food from Japan safe - DOST

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Science and Technology’s Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI) today assured the public that food products from Japan are safe for consumption and free of any radioactive contamination.


Leonardo Leopando, head of the PNRI’s Reactor Operations Section, said there is no evidence that food products from Japan are contaminated with radioactive particles from the earthquake-damaged Fukushima Diichi nuclear power plant.

Meanwhile, Science Secretary Mario Montejo said there is no need to scan Filipinos, as well as products from Japan, at airports for radiation at this time.


Montejo said radioactivity levels in Japan are not yet high enough to affect food products, at least as of Wednesday.

He also said most of the food resources that would likely be affected by the radiation are vegetables planted close to the nuclear power plant, adding that these are not being exported.

The DOST officials maintained there is no immediate threat of radiation to the Philippines.

Meanwhile, Vicente Malano, deputy administrator of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said radiation would also not affect the country’s marine animals.


“Because the sea is very wide, if the radiation would penetrate the water, it would be diluted. So there is no need to worry about the possible adverse effects of radiation on our aquatic resources,” Malano said in a press conference at the PNRI office in Quezon City.

Malano also said the direction of wind in Japan is eastward and not towards the Philippines.

DOST’s Science and Technology Information Institute director Raymund Liboro said the radioactive level n the country as of 9 a.m. Wednesday remained “normal.”

He said the government continues to monitor the situation in Japan.

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