What was the reading BEFORE the reactor events?
That’s what I’m wondering. After all, it’s not like radioactivity can come from anywhere else. Now, granted, this may be the detection of a specific isotope which can be traced to the reactor, in which case I withdraw the question, but substitute another: has the radioactivity really been in the environment so long that it’s showing up in secondary and tertiary food products now?
Bingo! That was my first thought, especially after seeing this line in the story:
“The EPA said it increased monitoring after radiation leaked from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant”
It's like a blood pressure measurement, a single instance means nothing. It takes a series of measurements to give any meaning to the situation.
It's like the old trick researchers use when they're having trouble getting their sample to show the trend they hope to find. If there's only one person in the sample then it's “In our sample, without exception, it was shown.” If they can get two samples to back them then it's “Time and again.” And for three it's “time after time.”
I find it very sad that thinking people have to view ANY information released by any arm of the government as suspect in this day and time.