U.S. health authorities on Tuesday announced a nationwide recall of frozen shrimp suspected of potential radioactive contamination.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the seafood was imported from Indonesian company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati and distributed in 13 states through retail giant Walmart.
The recall was triggered after the detection of trace amounts of Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, in shrimp linked to the supplier. While the FDA emphasized that the levels were minimal and posed no “acute hazard” to consumers, it warned that long-term exposure to even low doses of Cesium could increase the risk of cancer.
The agency further noted that shrimp from the company “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.”
No shrimp currently stocked in Walmart stores has tested positive for radioactivity, the FDA clarified. However, the agency directed the retailer to pull the product from shelves and urged consumers who may have already purchased the shrimp to discard it immediately.
Written By Rodney Mbua
