The Food and Drug Administration has issued a public advisory against consuming, selling, or serving certain Great Value frozen raw shrimp from Walmart, citing risks of Cesium-137 contamination, a radioactive isotope. ABC News reported that US Customs and Border Protection flagged potential Cesium-137 in shipping containers at four US ports, as detailed in the FDA's Tuesday press release. Tests on shrimp from BMS Foods, an Indonesian supplier, also showed positive results for the isotope, according to the FDA.
No shrimp confirmed to contain Cesium-137 has reached the US food supply, ABC News stated, citing the FDA. Nevertheless, the FDA is calling for a recall of all BMS Foods products shipped after the positive container tests, even if those specific items have not been found contaminated.
Consumers should avoid the following Great Value frozen raw shrimp products:
- Lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
"If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away," the FDA said in its press release. The FDA is coordinating with distributors and retailers to facilitate recalls, as ABC News reported, referencing the agency's call "to recommend that firms conduct a recall."
The FDA has ruled that BMS Foods' shrimp violates the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act, noting it "in that it 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." Imports from BMS Foods are banned until the company addresses the issue, as the FDA stated, "until the firm has resolved the conditions that gave rise to the appearance of the violation."
Per the US Environmental Protection Agency, Cesium-137 is a soft, silvery metal that melts near room temperature and forms crystalline powder with chlorides. ABC News cited the EPA, noting that high exposure to Cesium-137 can cause severe burns, radiation sickness, or death.
