Check Your Freezers: More Frozen Shrimp Recalled For Possible Radioactive Exposure Across 9 States

If you dismissed earlier news about a shrimp recall because you hadn't shopped at Walmart, you may want to check your freezer again because the recall has just been expanded to a whole lot more brands. The first recall of Walmart frozen Great Value shrimp was issued earlier this week after U.S. Customs & Border Protection alerted the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) that it had detected a radioactive material called cesium-137 (Cs-137) in shipping containers in four U.S. ports. All possible contaminated products were denied entry to the country; however, frozen shrimp from the same producer implicated in the Cs-137 contamination were shipped to Walmart from containers that had not tested positive, which is what pushed the FDA to issue a voluntary recall.

Now the FDA has expanded that voluntary recall to another company that sells frozen shrimp, Southwind Foods. Southwind sells frozen shrimp under a variety of brand names that were processed by the same Indonesian company, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati. The brands currently being recalled are Sand Bar, Best Yet, Arctic Shores Seafood, Great American Seafood Imports, and First Street. 

The recall includes many different sizes of shrimp, which are the numbers on the frozen shrimp labels, and if you want to check which ones specifically have been recalled, or check the UPC number on your package, the FDA has a full list of details here. 

As of now, the shrimp is known to have been shipped to retailers, wholesalers, and distributors in nine states, although the names of the retailers have not been released. The product was distributed between July 17 and August 8, and the nine states where the potentially contaminated shrimp were shipped are Alabama, Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington state.

Cs-137 is a man-made radioactive metal that is liquid at room temperature and can also be easily turned into a powder. Because of that, it spreads easily and can contaminate surfaces. The FDA says the amounts detected in the shipping containers were not high and well below the level that produces any immediate risk. Many foods, including bananas, can be lightly radioactive, even in nature, and small amounts of radioactivity are not considered dangerous. However, the shrimp is being recalled because of the risk of continued exposure to Cs-137 over time, which can lead to cancer.

So far, no illnesses have been reported, but if you have purchased any of the potentially contaminated shrimp, do not consume it. You should discard it or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. Anyone with more questions may contact Southwind Foods directly at 1-323-262-8222 from Monday to Friday, between 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Pacific Time.