India keeps close watch on food items imported from Japan due to radiation scare
merisarkar news service New Delhi, March 15, 2011
India imports dairy products from Japan
India is keeping a close watch on food items imported from Japan due to radiation scare spreading across Asia following blasts in nuclear reactors there.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Chairman P I Suvarathan said in New Delhi that they are watching the situation as a part of the surveillance.
He said the FSSAI is currently reviewing the situation and will decide to ban import of any items if it becomes dangerous enough due to radiation exposure.
Though India does not import primary food items from Japan, processed foods, sea food, oil seeds and seeds of vegetables such as cauliflower and cabbage come from there.
Besides, fruits such as citrus along with diary products, confectionery items, tobacco products also come from Japan.
Industry officials pointed out that the current situation is unlikely to have much impact here in India as the country's food item imports from Japan is minimal.
South Korea, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines have decided to test Japanese food imports for radiation.
