Transport of the radioisotopes iodine-131, cesium-134, and cesium-137 from the fallout following the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear reactor into cheesemaking products.

The transport of radiation contamination from milk to products of the cheese making process has been studied. The concentration of radioactive iodine and cesium in samples of sheep milk and cheese (Gruyère) products was measured for 10 consecutive production d. Milk with concentration 100 Bq/L in each of the radionuclides 131I, 134Cs, and 137Cs cheese with concentration 82.2 +/- 3.9 Bq/kg in iodine and an average of 42.3 +/- 2.3 Bq/kg in the cesium isotopes is produced. The corresponding concentrations in cream extracted from the same milk are 26.7 +/- 2.8 Bq/kg (131I) and 18.6 +/- 1.9 Bq/kg (134Cs, 137Cs).