Australia's Food Standards Regulator Orders Halt to Some Japanese Import Food

Amid rising radiation concerns, Australia's food standards regulator on Wednesday ordered a halt to some Japanese food imports, such as sauces and seaweed.

According to Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service will soon implement a holding order on all foods from the Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki and Tochigi prefectures of Japan.

FSANZ on Wednesday told Australia Associated Press that the holding order was only a precaution, given Australia did not import any milk or fresh food from Japan, and the risk of irradiated food arriving here from Japan was negligible.

Australia's main imports from Japan were sauces and seaweed products.

It said Australians should not be concerned buying Japanese foods currently on the shelves, because they were imported before the earthquake and tsunami.

The move is in line with the United States, which earlier on Wednesday restricted some dairy and vegetable imports from Japan.

Earlier, Japan has ordered a halt to shipments of certain foods from the four prefectures after abnormal radiation levels were found in products near the quake-hit Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant.