2 April 2026
Easter treats like hot cross buns and chocolate eggs contain small amounts of natural radiation. But that poses no risk to our health or enjoyment, says an expert from the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
Laboratory measurement director, Dr Megan Cook, says that the radiation present in food and beverages is extremely small.
‘In 2019, we published a report that showed how much radiation was in popular staples from the average Australian diet,’ Dr Cook says.
‘Favourite foods like BBQ meats, and many desserts all contain small amounts of radiation. This largely comes from the ingredients that absorb natural radioactive isotopes in soil.
‘We regularly monitor food and drinks to make sure radiation is at low levels.
‘Our laboratory uses highly sensitive equipment to measure radioactive isotopes like potassium-40, radium-226, and thorium-232 because they are so low they are almost undetectable in what we consume.’
The report found trace amounts of radiation in a variety of foods and drinks including cereal, meat pies, baked beans, prawns, sausages, tomato sauce, milk, beer, and wine.
Like everything, food and drink are made up of atoms. Some atoms are naturally unstable. When these unstable atoms, known as radioactive isotopes, break down, they release radiation as they become more stable. This process is called radioactive decay.
‘Food and drink commercially available in Australia pose an insignificant radiation risk. Even foods that naturally contain slightly higher radioactive isotopes than other foods like Brazil nuts, which contain radium, poses a minimal risk,’ Dr Cook said.
‘As Australia’s primary authority on radiation protection and nuclear safety, we provide up to date information to government and the community on radiation exposure and safety including from natural sources like food.’
Radiation is part of everyday life. People are exposed to small amounts of ionising radiation from natural sources like rocks, soil, air and food, and artificial sources like medical treatments and diagnostic images.
We’ve updated an FAQ on our website that answers some of the common queries about radiation in food we’ve received through our enquiry service:
