Health: New Regulations on Radioisotope Concentration Limits
The Kuwaiti Minister of Health issued a decision setting limits for radioisotope concentrations in food, water, and animal feed to protect public health.
Translated by Qiyas from النهار — Original source
Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadi issued a decision adopting the regulations on the limits of radioactive isotope concentrations in food, drinking water, and animal feed, including a ban on the circulation of foods that exceed the approved radiation limits, and establishing supervisory controls for handling non-compliant materials, thereby ensuring the protection of public health and food safety.
The decision, published in the Official Gazette “Al-Kuwait Al-Yawom” No. 333 of 2026, stipulates that the circulation of foodstuffs with radioactive isotope concentrations exceeding the specified limits for each food category in the two annexed tables, measured in becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg), is prohibited. The limits set forth in this article do not apply to naturally occurring radioactive isotope concentrations in food.
If a food item contains more than one radioactive isotope within the same group listed in the annexed tables, the sum of the radioactive activity concentrations of those isotopes shall be calculated, and the total must not exceed the established limit for that group. The limits contained in the two tables apply to food in its form prepared for human consumption, and do not apply to dried or concentrated foods, which are subject to an exceptional intervention level of 0.3 millisieverts per year.
The decision further stipulates that the total concentration of alpha- and beta-emitting radioactive isotope activity in drinking water shall not exceed the following limits:
- Alpha-emitting radioactive isotope activity concentration limit: 0.5 Bq/L.
- Beta-emitting radioactive isotope activity concentration limit: 1.0 Bq/L.
The radioactive isotope K-40 is exempt from the limits for beta-emitting radioactive isotope activity concentrations.
Furthermore, the sum of the radioactive activity concentrations of non-natural radioactive isotopes in animal feed shall not exceed 300 becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg).
In the event that radioactive isotope concentrations in foodstuffs exceed the limits stipulated in Article One of this decision, the Radiation Protection Administration shall notify the competent authorities, including the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition and the General Customs Administration, through official approved channels, to take necessary measures within their respective jurisdictions, including the seizure of non-compliant materials.
For locally produced or domestically circulated foodstuffs: The Radiation Protection Administration shall notify the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition of the test results to take necessary measures to prevent their circulation, in accordance with its jurisdiction.
For imported foodstuffs: The Radiation Protection Administration shall notify the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition or the General Customs Administration, as appropriate, of the test results to take necessary measures to compel the importer to re-export or destroy the goods in accordance with established procedures, at the importer’s expense.
This decision shall be notified to those required to implement it and shall take effect from its date. Decision No. 194 of 2011a is hereby repealed, along with any other decision that conflicts with the provisions of this decision. It shall be published in the Official Gazette.
