Glossary

Naturally Occuring Radiation:  Natural radiation caused cosmic rays from space and radioactive elements found in the earth's crust.

Codex Alimentarius:  Codex Alimentarius, or food code, was developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC) of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization. The purpose of the commission is to formulate and harmonize food standards and ensure global implementation. The Codex Alimentarius lists the maximum permissible values of radionuclides in foods.

Cumulative Dose:  Cumulative dose is the total dose resulting from repeated exposure over a period of time.

Dose Rate: Dose rate is the radiation dose delivered per unit time.

Background Radiation:  Life on earth has always been exposed to natural radiation from the environment, also referred to as background radiation. The main sources of this radiation are cosmic radiation from the sun and outer space, and terrestrial radiation from radioactive elements in the earth's crust. A common example of terrestrial radiation source is radon gas, which comes from uranium in the soil and can accumulate in buildings.