Radioactive Shrimp in Frozen Supply: FDA Issues Public Warning Against Consumption
FDA Cracks Down on Radioactive Shrimp Imports from Indonesia
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken action to address concerns about the safety of shrimp imported from Indonesia. Specifically, Great Value frozen shrimp, sold at Walmart, has been identified as potentially contaminated with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope.
The disturbing reasons for the FDA's actions include the detection of Cesium-137 in shipping containers at multiple U.S. ports, the potential health risks associated with exposure to the isotope, and the issuance of an import alert and addition of the Indonesian company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (also associated with BMS Foods as the distributor) to a red list under chemical contamination provisions.
The FDA's concerns are based on the detection of Cesium-137 in a single shipment of shrimp, as well as the possibility that the shrimp may have become contaminated with the isotope due to insanitary conditions. Despite not finding any shrimp products on store shelves to have tested positive for radioactive contamination, the FDA has taken a preventive approach by issuing a recall of multiple lots of Great Value frozen raw white vannamei shrimp imported from this supplier.
The recall is aimed at removing potentially contaminated products from the food supply and preventing any affected products from reaching consumers. Consumers are advised not to eat, sell, or serve these products and to return them for a refund.
The FDA is also concerned about the kind of exposure the shrimp had while being prepared and packaged, and is preventing products from BMS Foods from entering the U.S. until the firm resolves the conditions that led to the violation.
Gizmodo is waiting for a response from BMS Foods regarding the new import alert, and the FDA has not yet provided any update on the status of the shrimp lots being recalled. The Southern Shrimp Alliance has welcomed President Donald Trump's tariffs on shrimp from Asia, which are expected to raise prices for consumers but give local shrimpers a better chance at staying competitive.
It is worth noting that Cesium-137 is a radioisotope of cesium that is not naturally occurring and comes from nuclear explosions. Trace amounts of Cs-137 can now be found in the environment, and the amount found in the shrimp was 68 Bq/kg, which is below the standard for federal intervention (1200 Bq/kg).
In summary, the FDA's crackdown on shrimp imports from Indonesia stems from concerns about radioactive contamination risks associated with Cesium-137, posing potential long-term health risks from radiation exposure. Consumers are advised to take precautions and follow the FDA's guidance on the recall of Great Value frozen shrimp.
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