A banana has around 14 bequerels per banana, based on Chiquita information, of how much potassium is in a banana. The counts per minute equivalent would be 840. Radioactive Potassium (K40) does emit gamma radiation. This video goes into radiation emitted by a banana, or anything else with that much potassium inside of it. 

Should we be worried about this very small amount of radiation inside a banana? Not really.. because this is background radiation that we are all exposed to. There is no way to avoid it. This radiation is present in all potassium in the soil, naturally. We can call it ‘background radiation’. 


However.. There is a HUGE difference between the potassium in a banana, and the radioactive cesium, iodine or other man made radioactive contamination in food after a nuclear accident. 


First and foremost, potassium is potassium. RADIOACTIVE CESIUM is MAN MADE. Potassium and K40 is a natural mineral in many foods. CESIUM IS NOT A NATURAL MINERAL.


Cesium is a POISON. When it is detected in foods, it acts like a heavy metal in the body. The radiation from the cesium is dangerous to health. This has been extensively studied. 


The nuclear apologists who try to confuse people by saying low level radiation is not dangerous are trying to tell you that potassium is the same as radioactive cesium, radioactive strontium, radioactive uranium, radioactive plutonium, radioactive iodine, etc.. These are all POISONS, compared to potassium in a banana. 


This is why all governments around the world regulate the amount of these radioactive substances that can be legally measured in a food item. If your food, milk or water tests above a certain limit, then you as a farmer or food retailer have to dump the food or let it rot in the fields, because it cannot be sold for human consumption. 

So let’s go see who this works in actual real life. Let us check out food safety in Japan, and get some random radiation sampling results with a trip to the supermarket.

Radioactive cesium is like potassium, and the body uses it like cesium. Iodine in food is absorbed by the thyroid. Radioactive strontium acts like calcium, and it goes to the bones, where it causes leukemia and bone cancer. 


Radioactive strontium, uranium and plutonium is NOT being tested for, despite the fact that they can be found in soil, food, air and water. 


Farmers are not willing to give up. Farmers in contaminated areas are still growing food, testing it and then shipping it out to other areas of Japan. Is it being shipped out of the country? Who knows?


Radiation contaminated food is being shipped outside of contaminated areas, because Japan believes that their food is superior to any other countries food. 


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