J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Jan;31(1):9-12. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.1.9.

Estimates of Radiation Doses and Cancer Risk from Food Intake in Korea

• Moon EK
• Ha WH
• Seo S
• Jin YW
• Jeong KH
• Yoon HJ
• Kim HS
• Hwang MS
• Choi H
• Lee WJ

• KMID: 2359985
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.1.9

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate internal radiation doses and lifetime cancer risk from food ingestion. Radiation doses from food intake were calculated using the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the measured radioactivity of 134Cs, 137Cs, and 131I from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in Korea. Total number of measured data was 8,496 (3,643 for agricultural products, 644 for livestock products, 43 for milk products, 3,193 for marine products, and 973 for processed food). Cancer risk was calculated by multiplying the estimated committed effective dose and the detriment adjusted nominal risk coefficients recommended by the International Commission on Radiation Protection. The lifetime committed effective doses from the daily diet are ranged 2.957-3.710 mSv. Excess lifetime cancer risks are 14.4-18.1, 0.4-0.5, and 1.8-2.3 per 100,000 for all solid cancers combined, thyroid cancer, and leukemia, respectively.

Keyword

Diet; Neoplasm; Nuclear Power Plants; Radioactivity; Radionuclide; Risk Assessment

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Cesium Radioisotopes/chemistry
Child
Child, Preschool
*Eating
Food Contamination, Radioactive/*analysis
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Iodine Radioisotopes/chemistry
Neoplasms, Radiation-Induced/*etiology
Nutrition Surveys
Radiation Dosage
Republic of Korea
Young Adult
Cesium Radioisotopes
Iodine Radioisotopes

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Study framework. KNHANES, Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; MFDS, Ministry of Food and Drug Safety; ICRP, International Commission on Radiation Protection.

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