Potentially Radioactive Shrimp Recalled By Walmart, Warning Issued To Consumers

Frozen shrimp sold at Walmart has been recalled due to possible radiation contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The FDA said in a news release that it was alerted of the detection of Cesium-137 in shipping containers at four U.S. ports by officials with Customs and Border Protection. After testing, the FDA confirmed a sample of breaded shrimp tested positive for Cs-137

The recall by Indonesia-based BMS Foods includes the following product names, lot codes, and best by dates:

• 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

None of the company’s shrimp that tested positive for C-137 reached store shelves, according to the FDA.

The agency said “the product appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.”

FDA detected Cs-137 in a single shipment of imported frozen shrimp from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati that did not enter U.S. commerce. The level of Cs-137 detected in the detained shipment was approximately 68 Bq/kg, which is below FDA’s Derived Intervention Level for Cs-137 of 1200 Bq/kg. At Recommendation

• If you recently purchased one of the impacted lots of Great Value raw frozen shrimp from Walmart, throw it away. Do not eat or serve this product.
• 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.

At the level detected, Cs-137 would not pose an acute hazard to consumers, the FDA said, but added that exposure to low-level radiation could have negative health impacts over time.

The primary health effect of concern following longer-term, repeated low-dose exposure of Cs-137 through the consumption of contaminated food or water is an elevated risk of cancer, resulting from damage to DNA within living cells of the body, according to the FDA.

More information is available through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry resources.