The FDA is warning people about a possible risk of radioactive Cesium-137 contamination in Great Value® Raw Frozen Shrimp products that were sold at Walmart stores in 13 states.
The FDA is recommending a recall and urging people not to eat some Great Value® Raw Frozen Shrimp products from Walmart, including:
- Great Value Frozen Raw Shrimp — lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Great Value Frozen Raw Shrimp — lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Great Value Frozen Raw Shrimp — lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
These products were sold in 13 states, including: Alabama (AL), Arkansas (AR), Florida (FL), Georgia (GA), Kentucky (KY), Louisiana (LA), Missouri (MO), Mississippi (MS), Ohio (OH), Oklahoma (OK), Pennsylvania (PA), Texas (TX), and West Virginia (WV).
According to the FDA Safety Alert, no illnesses have been reported and no products that are currently for sale have tested positive for radioactive Cesium-137.
The primary concern is an elevated risk of cancer after repeated low-level exposure to Cesium-137 in shrimp, according to the FDA. This may result “from from damage to DNA within living cells of the body.”
The FDA said it opened the investigation after U.S. Customers & Border Protection (CBP) detected Cesium-137 in shipping containers that arrived at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami.
The toxic shipping containers were used to carry raw frozen shrimp products that were processed in Indonesia by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods) and sold at Walmart in the U.S.
FDA tests on a sample of breaded shrimp in the shipping container confirmed that it was contaminated with low levels of Cesium-137.
That shipment of radioactive shrimp and the shipping containers were denied entry to the U.S., but the FDA learned that Walmart received other shipments of frozen raw shrimp that could also be radioactive.
Health officials are also urging anyone who suspects they were exposed to elevated levels of radioactive Cesium-137 to talk to a healthcare provider.
For more information, you can also read Cesium Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Source: FDA Advises Public Not to Eat, Sell, or Serve Certain Imported Frozen Shrimp from an Indonesian Firm
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