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. 2016 Jan;31(1):9-12.
doi: 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.1.9. Epub 2015 Dec 24.

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

Eun-Kyeong Moon  1 , Wi-Ho Ha  2 , Songwon Seo  2 , Young Woo Jin  2 , Kyu Hwan Jeong  3 , Hae-Jung Yoon  4 , Hyoung-Soo Kim  4 , Myung-Sil Hwang  4 , Hoon Choi  5 , Won Jin Lee  1
Affiliations

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

Eun-Kyeong Moon et al. J Korean Med Sci. 2016 Jan.

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 (134)Cs, (137)Cs, and (131)I 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.

Keywords: Diet; Neoplasm; Nuclear Power Plants; Radioactivity; Radionuclide; Risk Assessment.

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Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURE: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Fig. 1
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.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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