FDA recalls Walmart Great Value frozen shrimp over cesium-137 contamination; consumers urged to discard affected lots. Photos/X.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has posted a consumer advisory for certain frozen shrimp products marketed under Walmart’s Great Value since tests revealed possible cesium-137 contamination, a radioactive isotope. The involved product was processed by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods), an Indonesian seafood company, the agency stated in its latest press release.
The FDA notice includes particular lots of Great Value Frozen Raw White Vannamei Shrimp (2 lb packs) that have been distributed at Walmart stores in various states, such as Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
Great Value Frozen Raw White Vannamei Shrimp (2 lb bag)
Lot code: 8005540-1, Best by: 3/15/2027
Great Value Frozen Raw White Vannamei Shrimp (2 lb bag)
Lot number: 8005538-1, Best if Used By: 3/15/2027
Great Value Frozen Raw White Vannamei Shrimp (2 lb bag)
Lot number: 8005539-1, Best if Used By: 3/15/2027
The FDA instructed, “If you recently bought one of the affected lots of Great Value raw frozen shrimp at Walmart, discard it. Do not consume or serve this product.”
The problem was brought to light after U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) detained shipping containers at four of the largest ports – Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami – as a possible cesium-137 contamination. The FDA later on tested and confirmed to have detectable traces of the isotope in a sample of breaded shrimp from PT Bahari Makmur Sejati.
The positive sample equaled 68 Bq/kg, well short of the FDA’s Derived Intervention Level of 1,200 Bq/kg. Although the agency emphasized that this value is not an immediate concern for health, chronic exposure over time may be a matter of safety concern.
The FDA explained, “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 time.”
Cesium-137 is a byproduct of nuclear reactions and can contaminate food via environmental exposure. The isotope emits radiation capable of damaging DNA, and repeated long-term exposure may increase cancer risk.
The FDA mentioned that trace levels of naturally occurring cesium are present in soil, air, and water across the globe. Nevertheless, unanticipated discoveries in imported foods must be carefully examined.
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Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
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