Radiological hazard assessment of radionuclides in packaged non-alcoholic beverages commonly consumed in Türkiye

Fruit juices, widely consumed non-alcoholic beverages in Türkiye and worldwide, are highly valued for their perceived health and nutritional benefits. However, environmental pollutants (heavy metals, toxic chemicals, radionuclides, etc.) contaminate air, soil, water sources, and food. The accumulation of these pollutants in high concentrations in drinks and food products can pose serious risks to human health. This study aimed to determine the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides (²²⁸Ra, ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K) in 50 commercially packaged fruit juice samples from 10 brands in Türkiye and to assess the corresponding radiological hazards for different age groups. The analyses were performed using a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer with an HPGe detector. The average activity concentrations of ²²⁸Ra, ²²⁶Ra, and ⁴⁰K in samples above the minimum detectable activity were determined as 0.69, 0.53, and 12.06 Bq L^-1, respectively. The ²²⁸Ra activity levels exceeded the World Health Organization drinking water guidance level (GL) of 0.1 Bq L^-1, whereas ²²⁶Ra activity levels remained below the GL of 1.0 Bq L^-1. The annual effective ingestion doses and lifetime cancer mortality risks were estimated to assess the radiological hazards for children and adults. The average total annual effective ingestion doses and lifetime cancer mortality risks were determined as 21.8 μSv y^-1 and 7.9 × 10^-6 for children (5 to 15 years), and 6.0 μSv y^-1 and 1.2 × 10^-5 for adults, respectively, all of which remain well below international safety thresholds. Ultimately, the risk assessment reveals that the consumption of these commercial packaged fruit juices poses a negligible radiological hazard, providing an important baseline database for public health communication and future beverage regulatory criteria.