FDA Warns of Potentially Radioactive Shrimp

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about retail shrimp packages that could be contaminated with radioactive Cesium-137. Testing of products discovered the contamination in packages stopped at the border for inspection.

The government has no verification that contaminated shrimp got into the U.S. food supply. But it nonetheless issued a warning for anyone who purchased certain retail packages of frozen raw shrimp to simply discard them. It also recommended that shippers recall the affected products that may be in the distribution system to prevent them from arriving at U.S. stores.

The FDA release pinpointed "Certain raw frozen shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods), a company located in Indonesia, and sold at Walmart stores in AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MO, MS, OH, OK, PA, TX, and WV."

The affected retail packages include 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

The government has also added the producer to what it calls a "red alert" list, blocking importation of all products until the company can prove it has taken necessary steps to prevent further contamination of its food products.

The EPA describes the contaminating material in question, Cesium-137, as "produced by nuclear fission for use in medical devices and gauges. It is also one of the byproducts of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and nuclear weapons testing." The greatest risk from a food product from consumption "allows the radioactive material to be distributed in the soft tissues, especially muscle tissue, which increases cancer risk."

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