In a recent development, Japan has banned all exports of green tea from four agricultural regions of the country after a study showed radioactive cesium levels. The green tea leaves from Tochigi, Chiba, Ibaraki and Kanagawa all showed high levels of this radioactive quality after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, which has caused the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare to recall vast quantities of stock of the tea and stop all future shipments until further notice.
However, the area of Shizuoka has not been affected and its green tea crops have now been declared safe for consumption. These restrictions in other areas are likely to cause a green tea shortage in Japan which will result in prices to reach high levels. The new regulations could cause restrictions in the Shizuoka as well, due to the cut in supplies and the price boosting nature of this predicament. With these worrying recalls taking place, Japan now needs to look into the situation to determine how widespread it is.
Further tests need to take place in other areas to see whether the cesium levels in dried leaves are safe for consumption – it is thought that they could be up to five times higher than those in fresh leaves, and these were the only the only ones tested. This could result in even more restrictions taking place and further spikes in prices. Green tea is a well-known health booster and is packed with antioxidants which reduce the amount of free radicals in the body. Drinking green tea is beneficial to your health and can help to improve your sense of wellbeing and vitality. Try drinking a cup of green tea a day and see if you notice a positive effect on your health – many notice that their energy improves and their digestion is aided.
Comments are closed.