bad news for Japanese green tea, also bamboo shoots, etc.

[ensho]

Higher levels of radioactive cesium than the national provisional limit were detected in green tea leaves harvested in Daigo and Sakai in northern Ibaraki Prefecture, the prefectural government announced May 16. The government said radioactive cesium of 894 becquerels per kilogram was detected in green tea leaves picked May 15 in Sakai and that of 570 becquerels per kilogram in Daigo in green tea leaves picked May 14, compared with the official interim limit of 500 becquerels per kilogram. The prefectural government ordered the two towns May 16 to halt shipments of green tea leaves. Meanwhile, radioactive cesium of 3 becquerels was detected in the hot extracts of green tea in Sakai and 30 becquerels in Daigo against the provisional limit of 200 becquerels for drinking water under the Food Sanitation Law. Green tea in Sakai and Daigo bears the brand names of Sashima tea and Okukuji tea, respectively. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, alarmed by the high levels of
the radioactive substance in tea leaves, ordered Tokyo and 13 prefectures in northeastern and eastern Japan to check steam dried green tea known as "Aracha." Aracha weighs about one-fifth normal tea due to water evaporation and tends to have a higher level of radioactive substances than raw green tea leaves. The ministry ordered the metropolitan and prefectural governments to ban distributions of Aracha if cesium tops the national limit of 500 becquerels per kilogram. The ministry also ordered local governments to beef up monitoring of freshwater fish such as ayu, or Japanese trout, and lake smelt as well as white bait and bamboo shoots.
---------------

http://hisz.rsoe.hu/alertmap/index2.php

[closeupready]

This will have an effect on everything - sesame oil, soy sauce, canned seafood,

Really sad, because just as with many of their other products, Japanese food products were always a kind of gold standard of quality. Now, I think I'll have to switch to purchasing products made somewhere else. :(

[lostnfound]

19. I'm sure the pro-nuke lobbyists have a plan to compensate consumers for the extra cost..

Because they've figured in ALL the costs.
Just lovely.

[hlthe2b]

1. And yet... the hard core few still push Nuclear Power...

as the ultimate solution to "peak oil." They cite statistics to suggest the long term safety record, when an event of unprecedented magnitude and indefinite global repercussions continues to unfold... Truly, are humans incapable of learning from their mistakes?

[ensho]

3. Barons rule and so long as money keeps flowing into their pockets

what we say or think means nothing

[villager]

10. Indeed. So we must keep the money from flowing into their pockets.

n/t

[closeupready]

5. Continuing to push for nukes is generally NOT about learning from mistakes, as you must know.

At least on some level. It is about $$$.

In other words, it doesn't matter to industry shills that nuclear is unbelievably dangerous in all forms. Their purpose is to sell, regardless of product safety, and some will do just that.

[meow mix]

6. and they will not only "darwin" themselves, but take thier opponents out with them.

fucking bs being forced into this nuke madness against our wills.

[madokie]

20. Most of us do

the ones you mention not so much

[MadHound]

2. Time to face the fact that consuming any food originating in Japan is now a dangerous proposition.

Much like eating seafood from the Gulf. The sad thing, while the Gulf will eventually clean itself out within ten years or so, the lingering effects in Japan will make consumption of their food risky for decades.

[CoffeeCat]

8. When I'm in the grocery store...

...when I'm selecting food choices, I feel as if I'm avoiding land mines.

Ok, so no Gulf seafood. CHECK. Ok, nothing from Japan. CHECK.

Furthermore, we have found Cesium and radioactive iodine-133 in our milk and produce supply.
Europeans were warned, SIX WEEKS AGO, to avoid drinking milk and eating leafy greens, due to
the fallout in Europe--while nothing that United States isotope levels were several times greater
than that of Europe.

And how convenient, our own EPA stopped testing milk, produce, tap water and rain water for these
cancer-causing isotopes--but will resume testing in a few months.

Great. Being in the dark is just so lovely.

So now, I avoid milk and some produce--especially the stuff that UC Berekley tests and is measuring
high (such as strawberries). So now, produce from California (and especially strawberries and
leafy greens) are out.

The grocery store sucks these days.

[closeupready]

9. I have to eat. Just hoping that I dodge that bullet, but I can't swear off milk or lettuce.

:(

[MadHound]

11. I gave up milk long ago,

But I'm worried about my own garden this year. I live in the Midwest, and hesitated before putting out the spring crop of broccoli and lettuce. However I'm lucky enough to have a nuclear engineer, who has access to the proper equipment, in the family. I think I'll have him do some testing when harvest time comes around.

[CoffeeCat]

17. Ohhhh...how interesting.

Madhound, I'm in the Midwest (Iowa) as well. I hear you about the planting. I also wondered
about what was best to plant.

It sounds like a family member might have a Geiger Counter. I'd be so interested
in the readings, if you are comfortable reporting them here. I'd love to get a
Geiger Counter. I'd seriously love to take it to the grocery store! Can you
imagine the flap that would cause at Hy-Vee?

Best of luck to you. May your garden veggies be lacking plutonium...seriously. :)

[Raschel]

22. I find it hard to determine where food comes from. Most packages have 'distributed by' listed on

them, but don't indicate where they come from.

[meow mix]

4. delete.

oops wrong place

[AsahinaKimi]

7. Thank goodness for Japantown..

I know a tea shop there that has a ton of Matcha, and green teas in storage. I am sure they won't sell out in a year. My two tins of tea, have lasted me nearly a year, but only because I switch off between Oolong, Pu Erh, Bancha, and Konacha. There are green teas from China and Taiwan as well, but of course in my opinion, not as good.

[xchrom]

12. i like a lot of the same teas -- i have developed a fancy for pu erh -- but green teas

i like 'fresher' rather than stored for a long time.

have you tried ceylon green and white teas?

Ceylon green tea is mainly made from Assamese tea stock. It is grown in Idalgashinna in Uva Province. Ceylon green teas generally have the fuller body and the more pungent, rather malty, nutty flavour characteristic of the teas originating from Assamese seed stock. The tea grade names of most Ceylon green teas reflect traditional Chinese green tea nomenclature, such as tightly rolled gunpowder tea, or more open leaf tea grades with Chinese names like Chun Mee. Overall, the green teas from Sri Lanka have their own characteristics at this time - they tend to be darker in both the dry and infused leaf, and their flavour is richer; this could change in the future as market demand preferences change the Ceylon green tea producers start using more of the original Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese and Brazilian seed base, which produces the very light and sparkling bright yellow colour and more delicate, sweet flavour with which most of the world market associates green teas. At this time, Sri Lanka remains a very minor producer of green teas and its green teas, like those of India and Kenya, remain an acquired taste.


Ceylon white tea, also known as "silver tips" is highly prized, and prices per kilogram are significantly higher than other teas. The tea was first grown at Nuwara Eliya near Adam's Peak between 2200–2500 metres. The tea is grown, harvested and rolled by hand with the leaves dried and withered in the sun. It has a delicate, very light liquoring with notes of pine & honey and a golden coppery infusion. 'Virgin White Tea' is also grown at the Handunugoda Tea Estate near Galle in the south of Sri Lanka.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_production_in_Sri_Lanka#Ceylon_green_tea


the ceylon green is very different tasting -- but you might like it.

[AsahinaKimi]

13. I have had Ceylon teas ..

But have always preferred the ones I mentioned. Pu Erh is the absolute best in my opinion. There is a place here in San Francisco called TenRen, in Chinatown. (They also have a website: http://www.tenren.com ) and have wonderful teas you can try while you are there. You can try as many kinds as you wish for free. Love going to Chinatown, when I shop for Chinese teas. Japantown, is close to me so I can hop over there and hit up a few tea places there, for specialized Japanese tea.

[REP]

15. If you're ever in Mountain View, you should visit

Mountain View Tea Village http://www.mvteavillage.com/

They have some wonderful teas, and the shop is part tea wonderland, part art gallery, only everything is for sale! The owners are very nice, too.

[xchrom]

16. I know tenren well. Love it. Nt

[ensho]

21. try Simpson and Vail - I've been buying from them for years

nt

[REP]

14. Green oolongs are very good too - quite different from macha, etc, but delicious

I favor high mountain oolongs, especially one called Drunken Princess and another called (probably spelled wrong) Tien
Shan. They can both be brewed quite strong without becoming bitter, and have some of 'grassiness' of some green teas with an almost perfumey scent. Dragon Bone and Iron Buddha are excellent oolongs for when you want an earthier cup.

Sometimes when I read the tea threads I wish the tea-drinkers could get together and brew pots for eachother - always good to learn about more tea. Thanks for the info, though you were posting to someone else. I love Ceylons, but haven't tried white Ceylon.

[Raschel]

23. I have been drinking the Japanese green teas because I read that they have the best cancer fighting

properties. (I was diagnosed with breast cancer).

Now I don't know what to do. :(

[Romulox]

18. Personally wouldn't purchase ANY food item from Japan at this time. nt