04： Testing of All Rice Grown in Fukushima Prefecture (JA Aizu Iide)

　With our Okiagari-koboshi in hand we waved goodbye to our hosts, and after some impressive manoeuvring, the bus driver lead us down a narrow road to some warehouses with bags of rice stacked out in front of them.

　Here was one of the facilities where the testing for radiation of all rice grown in the prefecture is being carried out.

　The testing of all rice grown in the prefecture is no easy feat. The target for testing is over 10 million　bags of rice, weighing in at 30 kilograms each. If one were to test the rice using traditional methods (Using 200 NaI(TI) detectors, 20 mins per test), it would take 694 days!(testing 24 hours per day)

　In order to make testing more realistic, a screening method was developed.
　The way it works is that each bag of rice is tested using machines such as belt conveyor radioactive caesium concentration detectors. Based on the results of the screening test, if there is even a remote chance that the bag is over the standard value (100 becquerels per kilogram) a detailed test is carried out using one of the prefectures germanium semiconductor detectors.

　Each bag is labelled with a barcode indicating the origin of the rice. They are then brought to the facility, tested, and then labelled with an ID number the public can us to access testing results. Bags of rice labelled TESTED are safe to be shipped out and sold to consumers.

　From the period of Aug. 25, 2012 to July 9, 2013, testing was carried out on over 10 million bags of rice. Among these a miniscule 71(0.0007%) were found to be over the standard value of 100 bq/kg, and were banned from being distributed.

　As one bag of rice ways a whopping 30 kilograms, a special machine is used to pick up each bag, and put it on the conveyor belt of the testing machine. It works using suction, and there is a certain trick to getting it to pick up each bag (You have to press down quite firmly at first). Everyone enjoyed taking turns at using the machine to load the rice on for testing.
  
  

　While technically you could pick up a 30 kilogram bag without the machine, after a few more bags I can easily imagine throwing your back out. We did note however the men on the other side of the machine were taking the bags off by hand. Impressive stuff!

　As we headed back to the bus, we began to miss the suction machine already, ‘If I had one in my house I’d never have to do any heavy lifting again’, one participant remarked.
　 

　Many thanks to the staff of JA Aizu Iide, for showing us around the facility!

（Posted by：William）