If your shrimp is on the recall list, toss it or return it — but there’s no need to avoid shrimp altogether.
An ongoing shrimp recall continues to send shockwaves throughout the U.S. The reason? A radioactive isotope called Cesium-137 (Cs-137), which can increase cancer risk over time.
The public first got wind of the recall on Aug. 19, when Beaver Street Fisheries, LLC, recalled certain bagged, frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart due to possible Cs-137 contamination.
Since then, two other companies have issued their own recalls and updates for frozen shrimp, also due to possible Cs-137 contamination.
So what’s going on here? How dangerous is the “radioactive shrimp,” really, and is any shrimp safe to eat right now? Here’s what you need to know.
The recall affects certain shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods), a company located in Indonesia.
To date, three companies have issued press releases for recalled shrimp: Beaver Street Fisheries, LLC; Southwind Foods, LLC; and AquaStar (USA) Corp.
Those products were sent to distributors, wholesalers, and retailers — including big-name stores like Walmart and Kroger — in various states across the U.S.
See the recalled products below; a full list, including specific states and other stores, is available on the FDA’s safety alert.
Great Value Frozen Raw Shrimp EZ-Peel & Deveined Tail-On 21-25 Per Pound (Beaver Street Fisheries, LLC)
Cocktail Shrimp 6oz (AquaStar (USA) Corp)
Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp, net wt. 2 lbs
In addition to Kroger, these shrimp products were also sold at the following stores in 17 states: Baker’s, Gerbes, Jay C, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay Less Supermarkets, and Pick ‘n Save.
Cesium is a chemical element — it’s a silvery-white metal that becomes liquid at room temperature. Cesium-137 (Cs-137) is a radioactive form of cesium, meaning it releases radiation that can be absorbed by the body, potentially damaging DNA and altering cells and tissues.
According to the FDA’s alert, no products sold in the U.S. have tested positive for Cs-137 — the recall stemmed from a single shipment of imported frozen shrimp from BMS Foods that tested positive. That shipment did not enter U.S. commerce, but the FDA recommended the recall of other shrimp processed at the same facility out of caution.
The situation sounds worrisome, but food safety experts say the recalled shrimp poses a low health risk to the public.
While high levels of Cs-137 exposure can cause serious health effects — burns, radiation sickness, and even death — contamination at that level is typically “associated with nuclear accidents or the detonation of atomic bombs,” Donald W. Schaffner, PhD, department chair, professor, and extension specialist in Food Science at Rutgers University, told Health.
The levels related to the current recall are nowhere near that — the sample of shrimp that tested positive for Cs-137 was about 68 Bq/kg (a measure of radioactivity), far below the FDA’s threshold for intervention of 1,200 Bq/kg.
At that level, the FDA said it would take repeated exposure to the contaminated shrimp over a long period of time to cause any increased cancer risk.
“It is understandable that people could be concerned, because Cs-137 could be dangerous to consume. But like other forms of contamination, the danger is dose-dependent,” Wade Syers, DSocSci, a statewide Michigan State University Extension Food Safety Specialist, told Health. “In this case, the recall is meant to limit low-level exposure.”
Realistically speaking, “It is certainly much more likely that you will get sick from or pathogenic than from radionuclides in food,” Schaffner said.
If you’ve purchased shrimp in the past few weeks, check if it’s under recall. If it is, do not eat it. Throw it away or return it for a refund.
Otherwise, there’s no reason to change your shrimp consumption or avoid shrimp when eating out, experts said. “I certainly have not changed my habits,” Schaffner added.
