In 2nd Radioactive Shrimp Warning, FDA Says More May Be Coming

The Food and Drug Administration is stepping up its investigation of an Indonesia-based company whose shrimp is the subject to back-to-back recalls related to the discovery of radiation contamination.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspectors discovered the radiation contamination in shipping containers at four U.S. ports and in shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, the FDA said.

At the level detected, the Cesium-137, or Cs-137, wouldn’t immediately make people sick, but the FDA warned repeated low-level exposure to radiation could increase the risk of cancer due to changes to DNA within the living cells of the body.

In the new warning Thursday, the FDA said multiple brands of raw and cooked frozen shrimp distributed in nine states by Southwind Foods LLC are being recalled over similar issues.

Those were distributed to retailers, distributors and wholesalers in nine states between July 17-Aug. 8 in Alabama, Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington.

Affected brands are Sand Bar, Best Yet, Arctic Shores, Great American Seafood Imports Co., and First Street. Specific information about the recall is found on the FDA website.

In the first warning on Tuesday, the FDA warned consumers not to eat certain of Walmart’s Great Value brand frozen shrimp products without checking to see if they’re involved in the recall. The shrimp was distributed to Walmart stores in 13 states, including Florida, Georgia and Pennsylvania.

The radiation contamination was discovered in shipping containers at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and Savannah, Georgia, as well as in some shrimp products. The FDA said the containers and cargo testing positive for radiation contamination have been denied U.S. entry, and that more alerts could be coming.

The FDA and CBP are working with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to investigate the root cause of the contamination. The investigation includes tracing all implicated products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati through the supply chain to gather as much information about them as possible and take action as appropriate.”

“Product information will be added to this advisory as it becomes available,” the agency said.

• Read more: Potentially Radioactive Shrimp Sold at Walmart Recalled, FDA Warns Consumers