*5.3.3. Fruit*

In 1986, fruit was less contaminated than vegetables. When harvesting time arrived, the radioiodine had already disintegrated. The radiocaesium level was below 100 Bq/kg. In 1990, no more contamination was found (<2 Bq/kg radiocaesium in dried fruit) [46].

### *5.3.4. Chestnuts*

Chestnuts, the fruits from the chestnut tree, *Castanea sativa*, are cultivated in northern Italy and southern Switzerland. At harvest time, in autumn, they are roasted and eaten or processed to crèmes or purees. These were also the regions with high fallout and washout from Chernobyl. The soils and vegetation had elevated activities of radiocaesium. As a consequence, chestnuts contained elevated radiocaesium levels. In 1986, a level of 265 Bq/kg was reached. In the following years, the contamination was reduced but only slowly. Even in 1988, one sample violated the tolerance value of 10 Bq/kg. In 2005 and 2015, we again investigated chestnuts and chestnut products. The radiocaesium level was reduced by a factor of 10. The resulting level was approximately 1 to 4 Bq/kg. No more violations were noticed [48].
