EFFECT OF FALLOUT CONTAMINATION ON RAW AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS

Wheat, dried fruits, snapped corn (unhusked), soya beans, cotton seed, and potatoes were exposed to moderate contamination resulting from fallout under actual field conditions. It was found that water washing as applied to dried fruits, soya beans, and cotton seed was relatively ineffective in removing fallout contamination; scrubbing potatoes, followed by removal of the skins, was effective. The protecting layers of husk around ears of corn prevented the contamination of the grain inside. A complete milling operation on fallout exposed wheat showed that a considerable amount of contamination could be removed by cleaning operations as well as by separation of the bran. Flour resulting from such contaminated wheat exhibited relatively low residual radioactivity. Because of the low degree of contamination of the wheat, caution should be used in extrapolating these results to more severe situations. Rept. on Operation Plumbbob. Nevada Test Site, May-Oct 1957. Prepared in cooperation with Food and Drug Administration, Washington, DC.