Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Guarantee of Harmful Gamma Radiation Absence as Part of the Consumer Information Rights: A Behavioural Experiment under a Public Health Perspective

  • Discussion paper
  • Published:
Food Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

A Correction to this article was published on 15 May 2020

This article has been updated

Abstract

Gamma radioactivity produced by human technology is the most dangerous industrial product to life. Two recent global catastrophic events in which nuclear plants were involved, separated only by 25 years, have confirmed that, independently of the usage of nuclear weapons, achieving the 100% of security in the nuclear energy management was and still is a complete unrealistic idea. Although the guarantee of offering information of food and drink products quality concerning the date of expiry or the ingredients content is nowadays stipulated in laws around many countries, this is not the case of the radiation safety. An important investment to offer information concerning gamma radiation safety conditions in food and drink products offered by markets, which also could help to localize quickly, possible radioactive slight incidents, is here discussed. The implementation of a previous consumer-behaviour experiment in markets is also suggested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Change history

  • 15 May 2020

    There was a typo in the author's family name in the initial online publication. The original article has been corrected.

References

  • Akimoto, S.I., Y. Li, T. Imanaka, H. Sato, and K. Ishida. 2018. Effects of radiation from contaminated soil and Moss in Fukushima on embryogenesis and egg hatching of the Aphid Prociphilus oriens. The Journal of Heredity 109: 199–205.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Apikyan, S.A., and D.J. Diamond. 2009. Nuclear power and energy security. Dordrecht: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Brunnengräber, A., and M. Schreurs. 2015. Nuclear energy and nuclear waste governance perspectives after the Fukushima nuclear disaster. In Nuclear Waste Governance. Energiepolitik und Klimaschutz. Energy Policy and Climate Protection, ed. A. Brunnengräber, M. Di Nucci, A. Isidoro Losada, L. Mez, and M. Schreurs. Wiesbaden: Springer VS.

    Google Scholar 

  • Calin, M.R., I. Radulescu, A.C. Ion, L. Capra, and E.R. Almasan. 2019. Investigations on chemical composition and natural radioactivity levels from salt water and peloid used in pelotherapy from the Techirghiol Lake, Romania. Environmental Geochemistry and Health. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-019-00382-8.

  • Carson, R. 1962. Silent spring. Boston: The New Yorker.

    Google Scholar 

  • Feiveson, H., Z. Mian, M.V. Ramana, and F. von Hippel. 2011. Managing nuclear spent fuel: Policy lessons from a 10-country study. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.

  • Grupen, C., G. Cowan, S.D. Eidelman, and T. Stroh. 2005. Astroparticle physics. Siegen: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hamblin, J.D. 2009. Poison in the well. In Radioactive waste in the oceans at the dawn of the nuclear age. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harriet, L.H. 1968. Lead and health. Scientist and Citizen 10 (3): 80–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayano, R.S., M. Tsubokura, M. Miyazaki, A. Ozaki, Y. Shimada, T. Kambe, T. Nemoto, T. Oikawa, Y. Kanazawa, M. Nihei, Y. Sakuma, H. Shimmura, J. Akiyama, and M. Tokiwa. 2015. Whole-body counter surveys of over 2700 babies and small children in and around Fukushima prefecture 33 to 49 months after the Fukushima Daiichi NPP accident. Proceedings of the Japan Academy, Series B Physics Biology Science 91: 440–446.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hindmarsh, R. 2013. Nuclear disaster at Fukushima Daiichi: Social political and environmental. New York: Taylor & Francis.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Holdren, J.P., and P.R. Ehrlich. 1974. Human population and the global environment: Population growth, rising per capita material consumption, and disruptive technologies have made civilization a global ecological force. American Scientist 62 (3): 282–292.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hutchinson, F. 1996. The molecular basis for radiation effects on cells. Cancer Research 26: 2045–2052.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hyatt, N.C., and M.I. Ojovan. 2019. Materials for nuclear waste immobilization. Materials. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12213611.

  • Karley, D., S.K. Shukla, and T.S. Rao. 2019. Microbiota of spent nuclear fuel pool water with emphasis on their biofilm forming ability on stainless steel (SS-304L). Journal of Biosciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-019-9937-8.

  • Keeling, C.D. 1978. The influence of Mauna Loa observatory on the development of atmospheric CO2 Researc. In Mauna Loa observatory: A 20th anniversary report, ed. J. Miller, 36–54. Boulder, CO: NOAA Environmental Research Laboratories.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, G., A. Veser, F.H. Schlüter, W. Raskob, C. Landman, and J. Päsler-Sauer. 2014. The risks of nuclear energy technology. In Safety concepts of light water reactors. Berlin: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kim, M., H.G. Kim, S. Kim, J.H. Yoon, J.Y. Sung, J.S. Jin, M.H. Lee, C.W. Kim, J. Heo, and K.S. Hong. 2019. Leaching behaviors and mechanisms of vitrified forms for the low-level radioactive solid wastes. Journal of Hazardous Materials. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2019.121296.

  • Lara, B., G. Rodrigues, and V. Velker. 2013. Radiation oncology primer and review: Essential concepts and protocols. New York: Demos Medical Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lee, D., S. Seo, M.K. Song, H.K. Lee, S. Park, and Y.W. Jin. 2017. Factors associated with the risk perception and purchase decisions of Fukushima-related food in South Korea. PLoS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0187655.

  • Lelieveld, H., and L. Keener. 2007. Global harmonization of food regulations and legislation: The global harmonisation initiative. Trends in Food Science and Technology 18: 15–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Livingstone, H.D. 2004. Marine radioactivity. Oxford: Elsevier.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loveland, W., D. Morrissey, and G.T. Seaborg. 2006. Modern nuclear chemistry. Wiley & Sons Inc: Hoboken.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maherani, B., F. Hossain, P. Criado, Y. Ben-Fadhel, S. Salmieri, and M. Lacroix. 2016. World market development and consumer acceptance of irradiation technology. Foods. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods5040079.

  • Merz, S., K. Shozugawa, and G. Steinhauser. 2015. Environmental Science & Technology 49: 2875–2885.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, W.L. 1968. Recent studies on the genetic effects of radiation in mice. Web: Country unknown.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shahbaz, H. M., K. Akram, J. J. Ahn, and J. H. Kwon. 2016. Worldwide status of fresh fruits irradiation and concerns about quality, safety, and consumer acceptance. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 56: 1790–1807.

  • Smith, J., and N.A. Beresford. 2005. Chernobyl: Catastrophe and consequences. Chichester: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sovacool, B.K. 2011. Contesting the future of nuclear power: A critical global assessment of atomic energy. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Vosniakos, F.K. 2012. Radioactivity transfer in environment and food. Berlin: Springer.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Wartella, E., A. Lichtenstein, and C. Boon. 2010. Front-of-package nutrition rating systems and symbols. In Phase I report. Institute of Medicine (US) committee on examination of front-of-package nutrition rating systems and symbols. Washington DC: National Academies Press (US).

    Google Scholar 

  • Wood, G. 2008. The politics of development policy Labelling. Development and Change 16: 347–373.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute of Fish Culture and Hydrobiology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Zátiší 728/II, 389 25, Vodňany, Czech Republic

    Arnau Rodríguez-Illamola

Authors
  1. Arnau Rodríguez-Illamola
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Arnau Rodríguez-Illamola.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author reports no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

The original version of this article has been revised: The author's name has been corrected.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Rodríguez-Illamola, A. Guarantee of Harmful Gamma Radiation Absence as Part of the Consumer Information Rights: A Behavioural Experiment under a Public Health Perspective. Food ethics 5, 9 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41055-020-00067-4

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41055-020-00067-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation