The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to eat, sell or serve frozen shrimp sold at Walmart due to potential radioactive contamination.
The FDA was alerted by U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) about the detection of Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, in shipping containers at four U.S. ports: Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah, Ga.
The FDA collected multiple samples for analysis and the results confirmed the presence of Cs-137 in one sample of breaded shrimp distributed by Indonesia’s BMS Foods, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.
“Containers and product testing positive or alerting for Cs-137 have been denied entry into the country,” the FDA said in the update. “The agency continues to coordinate with CBP to prevent any contaminated products from reaching consumers and is working with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to investigate the root cause of the contamination.”
None of the shrimp that has entered the U.S. food supply has tested positive for Cs-137, the FDA said.
The FDA suggested all products from BMS Foods sent after the firm’s containers tested positive for Cs-137 should be recalled, despite the products not testing positive for the radioactive isotope.
Consumers should not eat or serve the following Great Value shrimp products sold at Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia:
Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027.
“FDA has not detected Cs-137 in any product above the current derived intervention levels for Cs-137 (1200 Bq/kg); however, FDA has concluded that the level detected in the breaded shrimp sample could represent a potential health concern for those exposed to this level of Cs-137 from consumption of the shrimp over an extended period of time combined with radiation that exists in the environment and from other sources such as medical procedures,” the agency said Tuesday.
