據報道，日本福島縣又發現87頭吃了遭核輻射污染飼料的牛，這些牛已經被屠宰，牛肉可能已經流入市面。這加劇了民眾對輻射牛肉的擔心。日本政府官員上周日表示，目前難以確定受到污染的牛肉的范圍，因此，難以阻止牛肉供給被進一步污染。據估計，截至目前為止，日本的“輻射牛”已達143頭。

Fukushima's government said 84 head of cattle shipped from five farms had been fed contaminated straw.

Concerns about radiation-tainted beef intensified Sunday in Japan as officials struggled to determine the scope of the problem and prevent further contamination of the meat supply.

The government prepared to suspend cattle shipments from Fukushima amid a growing tally of cows that fed on rice straw containing high levels of radioactive cesium.

The straw was harvested from rice paddies in the prefecture (state) after the March 11 earthquake and tsunami triggered the release of radiation from the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

Distributors nationwide bought meat from the exposed cows, and some has already reached consumers.

Major supermarket chain operator Aeon Co. says more than 703 pounds (319 kilograms) of that meat ended up at 14 of its outlets in Tokyo and nearby prefectures. Between late April and mid-June, customers at those stores bought beef that came from a farm in Asakawa, Fukushima where cattle ate radiation-trained straw, according to the company.

Aeon says it will protect consumers by strengthening its radiation testing systems for beef.

Senior Vice-Health Minister Kohei Otsuka said Sunday that the government may consider expanding the expected cattle restriction beyond Fukushima.

"We may need to increase our response by checking the distribution of contaminated straw," he said on a national television talk show.

His comments came a day after Fukushima's government said 84 head of cattle shipped from five farms had been fed contaminated straw.

It also released results of tests conducted on remaining straw, which revealed cesium levels as high as 500,000 becquerels per kilogram at one farm in Koriyama City. That translates to roughly 378 times the legal limit.

The new revelation brings the number of exposed cows so far to 143, according to Kyodo News agency calculations.

Affected cattle growers have said they were unaware that the national government had issued a warning on March 19 that feed stored outdoors should not be given to their animals. A Fukushima government official acknowledged that the prefecture did not adequately pass along the instruction to farmers.

Local and national government officials say they are working to trace the location of the suspected meat and will improve safety checks.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 陳丹妮）