410364 Lieprinted from JeckNaL oe Food SUENCE 1063, Vol. 28, No. 2. Pages fll-v2s] Chemical and Radiochemical Composition of the Rongelapese Diet DIPTIMAN CHARRAVARTE ann EDWARD FE. LLEED where op tl. is To Catia 8 ep dot nce, Sede, fb danny tManuseript received March 21, 1402) SUMMARY The gross chemical composition of the Rongela, se diet indicostes thut it is low in fat, protein, and ash but fairly high in carbohydrate, The varia- tion in gross chemical composition of the diets examined may be accounted for by the bread variability of the different diets. The habitat of the Rongelapese probably doves not demand a high-energy diet, which may partially justify the lower fat intake. Levels of caleium and phosphorus seem below the minimumrequired for maintenance of a proper calcium-phosphoras balance. The diet seems adequate in magnesium and potassium but slightly low in sodium. The nickel. cobalt, and copper contents seem high in the Rongelap rations, manganese content is low, and iron and zine compare favorably with minimum daily requirements. Hight levels of cobalt-60 and zine-65 are associated with each other and with rations containing local fish. The higher levels of strontium-90 and cesium-137 are found where local fruit was consumed. Coconut contributes litde -trontium-90. and pandanus the most. Rations with higher zine-65 also contain higher levels of stable zine, indicating that local sea foods may be the main source of zine in the diet. Cesium-137. strontium-90, and eobalt-60 sas uo definite correlation with stable potassium, calcium. and cobalt, respectively. There is probably a net addition of minerals to Rongelap soils from imported foods. kinds of radionuclides and minerals ingested INTRODUCTION by the Rongelapese through foods. Fat, pro- Rongelap .\toll was contaminated with radioactive fallout resulting from the Bravo test, on March 1, 1954, to the extent that the population of 82 Rongelapese had to be evacuated. Some 200 Marshallese returned to tein, and carholivdrate were determined to provide a basis of comparison with known diets. To our knowledge there are no pub- lished data on the diet of the Rongelapese. Rongelap .\toll lies in the northern Marshall Islands, an area of comparatively low Rongelap in June, 1957, atter the area had heen declared again safe for human hahitatan St TOR Day ral tah rate TE cisacl ats Pare later. preducts. muned levels of radioactive contamination at Rongelap March, 1958, atoll relative was initiated Vinite Vedet ' ete hebie a The principal platts eaten are coconut, breadfruit, pandanus, and the arrow- Atoll (Dunning, 1937). [n a study of the ecology of the to radioactive contamination at the request of the U.S. root, or tacca: some squash and papava are also grown. Bananas and taro have been introduced but are net vet tn full production. Fish, clams, langusta, hirds, chickens, and Atomic Energy Commission, Division of Biology and Medicine. pigs are eaten. Of these. the most important is fish. The coconut crab, Riraus fatro, is considered a delicacy but is the one food item excluded from the diet because of the One of the objectives of the present in- vestigation was to determine the amaunt and strontium-90O content (Dunning, LOS? ). “Operated by the University of Washington under Contract No. AT (45-1) 1885) with the United States .\tomic [nergy Commission. The coconut, “Ni in Marshallese. is caten at different stages of development. The jtice “4 BEST COPY AVAILABLE