California Radiation Levels Remain Low; FDA Monitoring Food For Radiation Exposure

3/21 UPDATE: WARNING COMES FROM WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. CLICK HERE TO READ FULL STORY.

UPDATE ON WHAT THE FDA IS DOING TO PROTECT U.S. FOOD SUPPLY--

Saturday afternoon officials from around the world continue to report that only miniscule amounts of radiation have been detected in California after a radioactive plume arrived here Friday from Japan.

“As of today, radiation levels measured at three regional sites operated by the South Coast Air Quality Management District for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have not been higher than typical ‘background’ levels seen before the earthquake and tsunami in Japan. These levels are thousands of times below any conservative level of concern,” the South Coast Air Quality Management District reported Saturday.

The report is consistent with a joint statement issued by the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy Friday, which stated that levels of radiation detected in California on Friday, after the plume arrived, “were approximately 0.1 disintegrations per second per cubic meter of air, which results in a dose rate approximately one-millionth of the dose rate that a person normally receives from rocks, bricks, the sun and other natural background sources.”

Meanwhile, Japanese officials are reporting high levels of radiation in food grown and processed near the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration says it will monitor food imported from Japan for radiation exposure; the most common food imports are seafood, snack foods and processed fruits and vegetables.

While the situation here at home is being continually monitored, today’s report out of Japan is dire.

According to Associated Press, the following is a recap of events in Japan as of March 19, more than one week following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami in that country:

*Emergency crews are still working to cool overheated nuclear fuel at the Fukushima Dai-ichi power plant, which was badly damaged in the earthquake. The radioactive plume that reached California Friday is believed to have emanated from the crippled facility.

* Police say more than 452,000 people remain homeless in Japan following the quake and tsunami. The twin disasters have left thousands dead and missing.

* Most of Japan's auto industry remains shut down, which is affecting companies here in the U.S. that have ties to Japan.

* Goldman Sachs this week estimated quake damage at $200 billion.