FDA warns frozen shrimp from Walmart could be radioactive in recall

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a recall alert for certain frozen shrimp sold at Walmart stores after a processor’s shipment was flagged for having radioactive material. The agency said no product has tested positive, but issued the notice as a precaution. 

Certain bags of frozen shrimp Walmart sold under its Great Value brand were recalled Tuesday after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) notified the FDA that the processor’s most recent shipment had Cs-137, a radioactive isotope of the element cesium, the FDA said in the alert.

Cesium is a soft, flexible and silvery-white metal that becomes liquid near room temperature, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

“Although testing to date has not confirmed the presence of contamination in any product in commerce,” the FDA 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.”

According to Walmart, the recall affects Great Value frozen shrimp sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia. 

Testing hasn’t revealed that the contaminated food was sold, but the FDA said Walmart received raw frozen shrimp after the first date of detection, warranting the recall. 

People who bought frozen Great Value shrimp with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1 or 8005539-1 and had a best by date of March 15, 2027, should toss out the product. 

The CBP first detected the radiation levels at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and Savannah, Georgia. Products came from processor PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, or BMS Foods, of Indonesia. Customs denied BMS Foods’ other shipments from entering the U.S.

Is cesium dangerous? 

Cesium can be fatal if ingested, according to the EPA. But the Food and Drug Administration said the metal is a radioisotope man-made through nuclear reactions and is available worldwide. It can be found in food, soil and the air. 

The EPA said the chemical is one of the byproducts of nuclear fission processes in nuclear reactors and weapons testing. It can be found in radiation therapy devices for cancer treatments, gauges that detect liquid flow through pipes and industrial devices that detect thicknesses of materials like paper. 

“Exposure to such a large amount could come from the mishandling of a strong industrial source of Cs-137, a nuclear detonation or a major nuclear accident,” according to the EPA. “Large amounts of Cs-137 are not found in the environment under normal circumstances.” 

A sample of breaded shrimp had detectable levels of the radioactive material. The FDA said it could be a health concern if consumed over an extended period of time, combined with radiation from other sources like medical procedures.

Long-term exposure to low doses can cause cancer. External exposure to the material at high doses can cause burns, acute radiation sickness or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Avoiding products like the shipment FDA tested with similar levels of Cs-137 is a measure intended to reduce exposure to low-level radiation that could have health impacts with continued exposure over a long period of time,” the agency said.

BMS Foods on red list

BMS Foods joined the FDA’s red list on Aug. 14 after the agency learned foods were being prepared, packed or stored in unsanitary conditions that prompted the detection of cesium. As a result, all of the processor’s shrimp products will be denied entry. 

A company can be removed from the FDA’s red list if it can demonstrate that the problems that led to the violation have been resolved. That can involve documenting the root cause of the violation and identifying all potential sources and corrective actions; drafting a food safety plan; correcting problems the FDA or otherwise competent authorities alerted; and having all submitted materials verified.