The British Food Journal Volume 63 Issue 3 1961

Abstract

The Medical Research Council's Committee has issued its Second Report on Hazards to Man of Nuclear and Allied Radiations. From time to time we report on the monitoring of foods for radioactive substances, mainly Strontium 90, by the laboratories of the Agricultural Research Council and a few local authorities. The “maximum permissible levels” of radiation for individuals to which these measurements are related are those contained in the Committee's First Report (1956). Since this much work has been done making increasing numbers of measurements. In particular, background radiation from natural sources has been measured in detail. This constitutes the largest dose of radiation to the ordinary population—an average annual doserate in millirads in the range of 85 to 106. In comparison, radiation from its increased use in modern life and also from radioactive fall‐out is extremely small. Medical radiological procedures, after a nation‐wide survey of hazards to patients, are not so important as was first believed, but nonetheless contribute a larger dose than any other source of man‐made radiation, approximately 19 millirads per annum. The Adrian Committee, which conducted the review of radiological practice, considered that the dose could be reduced to 6 mr., without curtailment of radiological services.

Citation

(1961), "The British Food Journal Volume 63 Issue 3 1961", British Food Journal, Vol. 63 No. 3, pp. 25-36. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb011587