The latest announcement from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States indicates that the recall of imported shrimp products is expanding. Several companies have added tens of thousands of recalled products due to possible contamination with radioactive cesium-137. The affected range has expanded from Walmart to Kroger and more retailers, covering multiple states in the U.S.
According to the FDA announcement on August 28th, AquaStar USA Corp. based in Seattle has recalled over 26,000 packages of frozen cocktail shrimp. These products were sold at Walmart in 27 states between July 31st and August 16th. Walmart was one of the first retailers to be asked for a recall, with the FDA issuing preliminary notices earlier this month. Subsequently, AquaStar announced a recall of approximately 18,000 bags of Kroger brand cooked medium peeled shrimp sold between July 24th and August 11th in 17 states.
H&N Group, a wholesaler based in Vernon, California, initiated a recall of over 17,000 boxes of frozen shrimp starting from August 12th. A major subsidiary under H&N Group, Southwind Foods, LLC, has issued a notice on the FDA website for the recall of products under brands like Sand Bar, Arctic Shores, Best Yet, Great American, and First Street, some of which were also sold under Walmart’s Great Value brand.
The FDA has pointed out in multiple recall notices that these products may have been contaminated with radioactive cesium-137.
The affected products all come from the Indonesian supplier PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods). The company has been placed on the FDA’s import alert list, and all subsequent products are banned from entering the U.S. market.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) first detected abnormalities in containers at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah, Georgia, and then reported the findings to the FDA. The FDA conducted tests on shrimp samples and found cesium-137 levels at 68 becquerels per kilogram in a batch of frozen breaded shrimp. While this value is far below the FDA’s safety standard of 1,200 becquerels per kilogram, it is still considered unusual.
Experts have noted that cesium-137 is typically a byproduct of nuclear reactions. Steve Biegalski, the head of the Nuclear and Radiological Engineering and Medical Physics Department at the Georgia Institute of Technology, told the Associated Press that the levels of cesium-137 found in Pacific shrimp are usually 100 times lower than those detected in this case.
In the announcement, the FDA stated that while the test results show limited health risks, long-term low-dose intake could still potentially harm the human body, prompting a large-scale recall. The Associated Press reported that federal officials are investigating the source of contamination but have not yet provided details publicly.
The FDA reminds consumers not to consume the recalled batches of frozen or refrigerated shrimp. Those who have already purchased them should dispose of them immediately or return them to the store for a refund. As of now, there have been no reports of illnesses or adverse reactions due to the consumption of the affected shrimp products.