Radiological hazard assessment of radionuclides in packaged non-alcoholic beverages commonly consumed in Türkiye.
The study measured natural radionuclides in 50 packaged fruit juice samples from Türkiye and estimated negligible ingestion-related radiological hazards for children aged 5–15 years and adults despite elevated 228Ra relative to drinking-water guidance.
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The study measured natural radionuclides in 50 packaged fruit juice samples from Türkiye and estimated negligible ingestion-related radiological hazards for children aged 5–15 years and adults despite elevated 228Ra relative to drinking-water guidance.
Research significance
No therapeutic hypothesis is supported by this record; at most, the findings indirectly suggest that radionuclide monitoring could inform exposure-prevention or regulatory policies, but the estimated risks were below international safety thresholds and no pediatric cancer intervention was tested.
Source abstract
Fruit juices, widely consumed non-alcoholic beverages in Türkiye and worldwide, are highly valued for their perceived health and nutritional benefits. However, environmental pollutants (heavy metals, toxic chemicals, radionuclides, etc.) contaminate air, soil, water sources, and food. The accumulation of these pollutants in high concentrations in drinks and food products can pose serious risks to human health. This study aimed to determine the activity concentrations of natural radionuclides (228Ra, 226Ra, and 40K) in 50 commercially packaged fruit juice samples from 10 brands in Türkiye and to assess the corresponding radiological hazards for different age groups. The analyses were performed using a high-resolution gamma-ray spectrometer with an HPGe detector. The average activity concentrations of 228Ra, 226Ra, and 40K in samples above the minimum detectable activity were determined as 0.69, 0.53, and 12.06 Bq L-1, respectively. The 228Ra activity levels exceeded the World Health Organization drinking water guidance level (GL) of 0.1 Bq L-1, whereas 226Ra activity levels remained below the GL of 1.0 Bq L-1. The annual effective ingestion doses and lifetime cancer mortality risks were estimated to assess the radiological hazards for children and adults. The average total annual effective ingestion doses and lifetime cancer mortality risks were determined as 21.8 μSv y-1 and 7.9 × 10-6 for children (5 to 15 years), and 6.0 μSv y-1 and 1.2 × 10-5 for adults, respectively, all of which remain well below international safety thresholds. Ultimately, the risk assessment reveals that the consumption of these commercial packaged fruit juices poses a negligible radiological hazard, providing an important baseline database for public health communication and future beverage regulatory criteria.