The detection of radiation in food in Japan following the devastating earthquake is more serious than initially feared, said the World Health Organisation (WHO) today.
But the European Union said there were no current health risks to the region’s consumers as the bloc imported little food from Japan. It confirmed that control measures would be stepped up in the wake of the disaster that seriously damaged a Japanese nuclear reactor triggering a radiation leak.
Serious situation
Peter Cordingley, Manila-based spokesman for WHO's regional office for the Western Pacific, told Reuters: "Quite clearly it's a serious situation. It's a lot more serious than anybody thought in the early days when we thought that this kind of problem can be limited to 20 to 30 kilometres.”
The WHO spokesman said there was no current evidence to suggest that contaminated food had been exported to other countries although "it's safe to suppose that some contaminated produce got out of the contamination zone," he said.
Leafy green vegetables, meat, milk and eggs are likely to be most at risk from contamination, said the WHO in guidance released today. However, canned food was less likely to be affected because of food processor control mechanisms.
Regional anxieties surfaced last week as reports emerged of contaminated vegetables, milk, water and dust from Japan in the aftermath of the huge quake and subsequent tsunami that is believed to have killed tens of thousands and smashed the Daiichi nuclear reactor in Fukushima.
Japan has forbidden the sale of raw milk from Fukushima prefecture and spinach from another nearby area. It said more restrictions on food may be announced later on Monday. Government officials admitted that some food with radioactivity above the safety limit might be on shop shelves in Japan.
Last week, the European Commission said there were currently no health risks to consumers as Japan was authorised to export few food products of animal origin into the region – including some vegetables, bivalve molluscs, feed and feed derivatives.
The EC representative reassured a meeting of the Council of Ministers that “following the possible radioactive contamination of the products, controls will be reinforced by the Member States importing such products”.
WHO guidance
The Geneva-based body today issued more detailed guidance on the possible risk of food contamination from radiation.
A number of compounds are of particular concern for food contamination - including isotopes of strontium, isotopes of iodine - particularly iodine 131, and isotopes of caesium, notably caesium 137.
Leafy greens will be most exposed to direct contact from contaminated air, it added. Meat, milk and egg products will be at risk of contamination through the animal eating contaminated grass or feed.
Processed products such as canned foods are unlikely to contain potentially contaminated raw material because of the existing safety and quality screening mechanisms already in place in the food industry.
(vasep.com.vn) VASEP has officially announced the program for Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026 (VSS 2026), featuring five in-depth sessions covering industry outlooks, trade barriers, buyer demand, the domestic market, and solutions to improve productivity and reduce costs across the seafood value chain.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s shrimp exports reached US$3.7 billion in the first nine months of 2026, up 11% year on year. Although growth has been supported by China and several markets within the CPTPP, momentum is slowing as exports to the United States and the European Union decline. Tariff pressures, international competition, and raw material challenges are creating significant hurdles for exporters in the final months of the year.
(vasep.com.vn) Markets are changing faster, buyer requirements are becoming more demanding, and trade barriers are growing increasingly complex. In this environment, seafood businesses need more than an understanding of current market conditions. They need a longer-term perspective to answer a critical question: Where will growth opportunities come from in 2027–2029, and what should businesses do now to prepare? This is one of the key reasons why VASEP is organizing Vietnam Seafood Summit 2026.
(vasep.com.vn) In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to the Middle East reached US$113 million, up 7% year on year from the same period in 2025. Growth has become more pronounced in recent months. In August alone, exports to the region totaled US$20 million, an increase of 24%. This indicates that demand for Vietnamese pangasius in the Middle East is gradually recovering after a slowdown in March, although the pace of recovery varies across markets.
(vasep.com.vn) China’s shrimp imports continued to grow strongly in 2026, while Vietnam’s shrimp exports to the market also recorded notable growth. However, behind these positive figures lie two distinct trends: Chinese consumption is growing more slowly than imports, and lobster accounts for a substantial share of Vietnam’s shrimp exports to China, making its product mix significantly different from those of Ecuador and India. Exporters therefore need to assess each segment carefully to understand the opportunities and risks.
(vasep.com.vn) Changing markets, shifting buyer demand, and increasingly complex trade barriers are raising a key question for Vietnam’s seafood industry: Where will the new growth opportunities lie in 2027–2029?
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) As of the end of August 2026, Vietnam’s tilapia exports to the United States reached $21 million, representing a steep 48% year-over-year decline and accounting for 23% of the country's total tilapia export turnover. Frozen fillets accounted for 78% with the remainder consisting of whole frozen tilapia and frozen cuts.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) After a volatile first half of the year, Vietnam’s pangasius exports to Brazil registered robust growth in July and August 2026. In August alone, export turnover reached $19 million, surging 73% compared to the same period in 2025. Cumulatively for the first eight months, total export value reached $124 million, reflecting an 8% year-over-year increase.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Besides modifying their boats, many fishermen in Dak Lak province are making efforts to venture out to sea to harvest seafood during the rough sea season.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the Responsible Seafood Summit and TCRS Shrimp Summit 2026, organized by the GSA (Global Seafood Alliance) in Bangkok, Thailand, the conversation about the future of the shrimp industry began with one of its most important foundations: seedstock quality.
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