Walmart has issued a recall for certain shrimp products sold in the United States after detecting radioactive material in a shipment. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised the public not to consume any frozen shrimp sold under Walmart’s Great Value label, as it may have been exposed to a dangerous isotope in shipping containers.
One sample of breaded shrimp tested positive for the substance, but it did not enter US commerce, according to the FDA. Consumers in 13 US states where the shrimp products are sold have been advised to dispose of any recently purchased items from three affected batches.
Walmart spokesperson stated, “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority.” The company has issued a sales restriction, removed the product from impacted stores, and is currently investigating the incident with the supplier. Consumers who purchased the recalled products can visit any Walmart location to receive a full refund.
The recalled shrimp was sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. Shoppers in these states are advised to exercise caution.
The FDA has denied entry to several shipping containers from an Indonesian supplier, where one shipment tested positive for Caesium-137, a radioactive form of the element. Although the amount contained in the shipment was not enough to pose acute harm to consumers, exposure over time could potentially increase the risk of cancer by damaging living cells in the body, according to agency officials.
Caesium-137 is created through nuclear reactions and can be found in trace amounts in soil, food, and air worldwide. It is one of the primary sources of radiation around Chernobyl in Ukraine and Fukushima in Japan. The FDA has not detected Caesium-137 in other tested products but warns that this does not completely rule out contamination.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5ypg4rgnrno?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
