Radioactivity of long lived gamma emitters in breakfast cereal consumed in Kuwait and estimates of annual effective doses

Background: Breakfast cereal is a nutritious type of food that is widely consumed by various age groups in Kuwait. This study investigates the presence of long-lived gamma emitters in breakfast cereal, and estimates annual effective doses to various age groups. Materials and Methods: Breakfast cereal samples were collected from the Kuwaiti local market. The samples originated from different countries. After proper lab treatment, the samples underwent gamma spectroscopy, where the targeted radionuclides were 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K. Results: While 40K was detected in all samples, 226Ra and 232Th were detected in most samples. The activity concentration of each targeted radionuclide varied from one sample to another. The annual effective dose from consumption of breakfast cereal is estimated to be 129, 185, and 351 μSv for the adult, child, and infant age groups respectively. Conclusion: The obtained activity concentrations are found to agree with those reported in the literature. Moreover, the estimated annual effective doses are found to be safe. Iran. J. Radiat. Res., 2012 10(3‐4): 117‐122