FDA Warns of Radioactive Contamination in Walmart's Great Value Frozen Shrimp
The FDA warned of potential radioactive Cesium-137 contamination in Great Value frozen shrimp sold at Walmart, citing serious health risks. Consumers are advised to discard the product.
Possible radioactive shrimp contamination forces Walmart recall
Washington Examiner
Radioactive shrimp possibly sold at Walmart, FDA warns
New York Daily News
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Overview
- The FDA warned of potential Cesium-137 radioactive contamination in Great Value frozen shrimp sold at Walmart, citing significant health risks including cancer and acute radiation sickness.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection initially detected Cesium-137 in shipping containers at various U.S. ports, raising concerns about imported frozen shrimp from Indonesia's BMS Foods.
- Despite the detection in shipping, the FDA notes that no Great Value shrimp currently available on the market has yet tested positive for Cesium-137 contamination.
- Nevertheless, the FDA has strongly advised Walmart to recall the potentially affected shrimp and instructed all distributors and retailers to immediately dispose of the product.
- Consumers are strongly advised to discard any Great Value frozen shrimp they possess, as the FDA has prohibited its sale or serving due to potential contamination risk.
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Analysis
Center-leaning sources cover the story neutrally, focusing on relaying the FDA's warning about potential radioactive contamination in Walmart shrimp. They provide comprehensive details on the recall, the nature of the contaminant, and the FDA's nuanced assessment of health risks, including both immediate and long-term considerations, without employing loaded language or selective emphasis.
"Walmart has recalled some shrimp products in 13 US states after one shipment of seafood tested positive for radioactive contamination."
BBC News"The risk from the recalled shrimp is “quite low,” said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University."
Fortune"The risk from the recalled shrimp is “quite low,” said Donald Schaffner, a food safety expert at Rutgers University."
Associated Press"The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that the public should avoid eating certain frozen shrimp sold at Walmart due to concerns that the seafood may have been contaminated with radioactive material."
NBC News"The FDA explains that it hasn’t found shrimp on store shelves that have tested positive for radioactive contamination, but is concerned the food “may have become contaminated with Cs-137” because it “appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions.”"
Gizmodo"The FDA advised the recall in an Aug. 19 notice, saying certain raw frozen shrimp products processed by Indonesian company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati had tested positive for Cesium-137, or Cs-137."
USA TODAY"The FDA noted that repeated low-dose exposure to Cesium-137 carries an "elevated risk of cancer, resulting from damage to DNA within living cells of the body.""
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FAQ
Cesium-137 is a radioactive isotope that can cause serious health risks including burns, acute radiation sickness, cancer, and death from external exposure. It can contaminate food products and pose long-term health hazards when ingested.
No shrimp products that tested positive for Cesium-137 contamination have been allowed entry into the U.S. food supply, but the FDA advises caution and has recommended recalls of products from the same company that may have been exposed.
The contamination issue involves shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, also known as BMS Foods, an Indonesia-based company.
The FDA has prohibited the sale and serving of the implicated Great Value frozen shrimp, strongly advised consumers to discard them, recommended Walmart recall the products, and placed BMS Foods on an import alert banning future imports until sanitary conditions are resolved.
The potentially contaminated Great Value frozen shrimp sold at Walmart are found in multiple states including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
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