Fukushima gov't mulls inspecting all meat processed in prefecture+

FUKUSHIMA, Japan, July 9 Kyodo -
The Fukushima prefectural government is considering inspecting the meat from all cows slaughtered for consumption at facilities in the northeastern Prefecture, in response to the detection of excessive levels of radioactive cesium in the meat of some cows from the prefecture, local officials said Saturday.
Concerning meat from the prefecture's cows processed elsewhere, the prefectural government is expected to consult with the central government before seeking cooperation from related local governments on conducting similar checks.
The Tokyo metropolitan government said Saturday that high levels of radioactive cesium had been detected in meat from 10 cows shipped to a meat packing plant in Tokyo from Minamisoma, Fukushima Prefecture, a day after it announced that a similarly excessive level had been found in the meat from one of a total of 11 cows shipped to the capital from Minamisoma.
The meat from all 11 cows, shipped from the same farm, contained radioactive cesium three to six times higher than the provisional ceiling of 500 becquerels per kilogram, with the highest level at 3,200 becquerels, according to the Tokyo government.
The city of Minamisoma lies on the outskirts of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in the same prefecture, which has emitted radioactive materials in the aftermath of the disaster sparked by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.
The Fukushima prefectural government held an emergency meeting Saturday and determined it is necessary to enhance its inspection system, which had involved checking whether radioactive substances were present on the body surface of all cows to be shipped from areas near the no-entry zone around the nuclear plant and spot checking of processed meat.
On Sunday, the local government will also inspect farms to check whether their management of feed and water is sufficient.
In addition to the 11 cows, a total of six cows from the farm in Minamisoma were shipped to meat-processing plants in Tokyo and Tochigi Prefecture in May and June, according to related local governments.
Although meat from the 11 cows has not been distributed, meat from the six cows -- five shipped to Tokyo and one to Tochigi -- has been processed and may have reached the market, prompting local authorities to check where the meat has been distributed.
==Kyodo