How can food risks be prevented after a nuclear accident?

In exercises, risk prevention measures relating to contaminated foods generally involve areas where the consumption and sale of foods are prohibited if exceed the European Council food intervention levels (CFILs) defined following the Chernobyl accident. However, CFILs do not offer systematic protection for population living in the immediate vicinity of an accident, because this standards only consider those living farther and are only likely to be contaminated by eating contaminated foods, which may arrive in limited quantities from the contaminated area byway of international trade. The CODIRPA 'Life in contaminated rural areas' working group has therefore put forward some proposed guidelines to delimit two separate areas: i) a 'food prohibition area', where a comprehensive and systematic ban would be temporarily placed on the consumption and marketing of locally produced foods; ii) a larger 'monitoring area', where, following a temporary ban, foodstuffs would be marketed in accordance with European or international standards. Consumption of locally produced foods would be authorised there, subject to 'good food hygiene' recommendations. Decision criteria and areas delimitation are here submitted for the new zoning system. (author)