There Are still Radioactively Contaminated Fungi more than 30 Years after Chernobyl

Some species of wild mushrooms in Bavaria are still heavily contaminated with radioactive Caesium-137 more than 30 years after the Chernobyl disaster, DPA reported.

The German Federal Radiation Protection Service explained that the species in question include the Hygrophorus eburneus, a Hydnum repandum (sweet tooth, wood hedgehog )wood hedgehog red-brown bay boletus and umber-zoned ringless amanita, which may still have up to some thousands of Becquerels (Bq) Caesium-137 per kilogram

"In extreme cases. a single meal of these mushrooms contains more cesium-137 than one can consume with other food from agricultural production in a whole year." said Inge Paulini. president of the BfS.

"If you want to keep your personal radiation exposure as low as possible you should not eat heavily contaminated mushroom species from higher contaminated regions."

She urged mushroom pickers to avoid specimens in heavily affected areas.

The highest radio cesium concentrations were determined in exceptionally heavily polluted smaller forest areas in the Bavarian Forest. in the Donaumoos southwest of Ingolstadt. in the Berchtesgadener Land and in the region Mittenwald, En24news reported.

The mushrooms that are sold in stores are harmless, Paulini noted.

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