Long-lived radionuclides in food: 90Sr and 137Cs in the Israel diet

Routine monitoring of Strontium-90 and Cesium-137 levels in the main classes of food consumed in Israel has been carried out for a number of years. Calculations have been made of the intake of these isotopes by various groups in the Israel population using Food Consumption Survey data made available by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. More detailed analyses have been carried out to calculate the exposure of groups selected on the basis of demographic, economic and family-size criteria. This was carried out in an attempt to detect "critical groups" in the population who might be overly exposed. Results of these data indicate that in the case of Israel the monitoring of a single food item such as milk or the extrapolation of local fallout data cannot be relied on to give an estimate of radionuclide exposure through food. The relation between high consumption groups and the intake of "average" consumers is discussed in detail and the use of the statistical models developed in these studies for the estimates of radionuclide exposure during periods of high fallout levels which occurred in the past and possible applications with regard to other environmental contaminants is discussed.