Additional Coverage:
- FDA issues warning, investigating after radioactive shrimp bound for Walmart detected at major US ports (foxbusiness.com)
Radioactive Shrimp Found in Walmart Shipments!
The FDA is investigating after a shipment of frozen shrimp headed for Walmart shelves tested positive for Cesium-137, a radioactive material. The contaminated shrimp, processed in Indonesia, was detected by U.S. Customs & Border Protection at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah, Georgia.
Following the discovery, the FDA placed the Indonesian supplier, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods), on an import alert list, effectively halting all U.S. sales of their products. Walmart has recalled the affected shrimp and is cooperating with the FDA’s investigation.
Consumers are urged to check their freezers for Great Value raw frozen shrimp with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1. If you have purchased shrimp with these lot codes, do not consume them and discard them immediately.
The FDA assures the public that they are working with Indonesian authorities to identify the source of the contamination and are taking steps to prevent further contaminated products from entering the U.S. market. While trace amounts of Cesium-137 can occur naturally, any unexpected levels found in food products trigger an FDA investigation. The agency is currently tracing all BMS Foods products within the U.S. supply chain.