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Bananas Are Indeed Radioactive Due To The Presence of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Isotopes
Bananas Are Indeed Radioactive Due To The Presence of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Isotopes
primarily potassium-40. Each banana can emit about 0.01 millirem (0.1 microsieverts) of radiation[1].
However, the amount of radiation emitted by bananas is very small and does not pose a radiation
risk. To put it into perspective, you would need to eat about 100 bananas to receive the same
amount of radiation exposure as you get each day in the United States from natural radiation in the
environment[1]. Therefore, eating bananas does not make you radioactive, and the radiation levels
are extremely low and not harmful.
Citations:
[1] https://www.epa.gov/radtown/natural-radioactivity-food
[2] https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/5-radioactive-products-we-use-every-day
[3] https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/what-know-you-go-bananas-about-radiation
[4] https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/you-asked/it-true-banana-radioactive
[5] https://www.sciencefocus.com/science/how-many-bananas-would-i-need-to-eat-to-become-
radioactive