Walmart has initiated a recall of frozen shrimp across 13 states due to concerns about potential radiation contamination. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has alerted consumers not to consume frozen shrimp sold under Walmart’s Great Value brand due to exposure to a hazardous isotope.
This isotope is Caesium-137, a byproduct of nuclear fission in reactors and weapons testing, as explained by the US Environmental Protection Agency. The FDA’s recall follows a positive test for the substance in a sample of breaded shrimp found in a shipping container.
Caesium-137 also finds applications in some medical devices and gauges.
The recall affects the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
The FDA has stated, “FDA is actively investigating reports of Caesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods) of Indonesia.” They further mentioned that the U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) had detected Cs-137 in shipping containers at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami.
The FDA collected samples for radionuclide analysis, confirming Cs-137’s presence in a breaded shrimp sample. All containers and products testing positive or alerting for Cs-137 have been denied entry into the United States.
The FDA is working with Indonesian authorities to identify the contamination’s source.
While the shrimp itself is not directly contaminated, it was handled in unsanitary conditions that could have led to exposure to Cesium-137. The FDA recommends that consumers who purchased affected Great Value raw frozen shrimp from Walmart discard the product.
They advise, “Distributors and retailers should dispose of this product and should not sell or serve this product. If you suspect you have been exposed to elevated levels of cesium, talk to your healthcare provider.”
In response to the recall, Walmart has released a statement emphasizing that the product has been pulled from the shelves in affected stores. The company stated, “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We have issued a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores. We are working with the supplier to investigate.”