The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a warning against consuming, selling, or serving certain Great Value brand raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart due to potential contamination with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope. This alert follows a notification from U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which detected Cesium-137 in shipping containers at four U.S. ports. Testing on shrimp from Indonesia’s BMS Foods, the distributor, confirmed the presence of the radioactive substance.
Despite this, the FDA has stated that no contaminated shrimp has entered the U.S. food supply. Nevertheless, the agency is advising a recall of all products from BMS Foods that were shipped after the positive tests were identified.
The specific Great Value frozen shrimp products to avoid include:
- Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
Consumers who have purchased these products are advised to dispose of them. The FDA is collaborating with distributors and retailers to manage the recall process. The agency has determined that the shrimp from BMS Foods violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act due to potential contamination and insanitary conditions.
Additionally, all products from BMS Foods are currently prohibited from entering the U.S. until the conditions leading to the violation are rectified. Cesium-137 is known to be hazardous, as external exposure to significant amounts can lead to serious health issues, including burns and acute radiation sickness.
