Another 45,000lbs of shrimp are recalled over fears they could be radioactive

Two more recalls have been issued for shrimp believed to have been exposed to a radioactive compound that may cause cancer if ingested.

AquaStar Corp of Seattle, Washington is recalling 26,460 packages of 6 oz Cocktail Shrimp products and 18,000 bags of Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-off Shrimp products.

The shrimp were imported from Indonesia and are being recalled because 'they may have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have become contaminated with cesium-137 (Cs-137),' the FDA recall notice stated.

Cs-137 is a man-made radioactive byproduct of nuclear waste and nuclear weapons tests.

It is present at very low levels in the environment, partially as a result of nuclear tests, and is generally harmless.

But once inside the body, the substance can become lodged in tissues and release low-level radiation over time that can damage DNA and cause cells to turn cancerous.

The products in the recalls were sent to the US by BMS Foods from Indonesia and officials from both countries are working to determine the source of the contamination.

These two new recalls follow two others from earlier this month involving Great Value raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart and Sand Bar, Best Yet, Arctic Shores, Great American Seafood Imports and First Street shrimp products sold at Kroger and through Instacart.

The cocktail shrimp products were sold in Walmart stores in more than two dozen states across the US between July 31, 2025 and August 16, 2025.

The peeled tail-off shrimp products were sold at Baker’s, Gerbes, Jay C, Kroger, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay Less Supermarkets, and Pick ‘n Save in 17 states, mainly in the south and Midwest, between July 24, 2025 and August 11, 2025.

The cocktail shrimp products are packaged in clear plastic trays with red and white labels and a UPC code of 19434612191.

Lot codes include 10662 5106, 10662 5107, 10662 5124, and 10662 5125, which can be found at the bottom of plastic tray.

The peeled tail-off shrimp products are packaged in clear plastic bags with a white and green label.

Codes include: UPC 011110626196 and lot code 10662 5139, with a best before date of November 19, 2027; as well as, UPC 011110626196 and lot code 10662 5140 and a best before date of November 20, 2027.

No illnesses have been reported in connection to any of the recalls and the FDA said: 'At this time, no product that has tested positive or alerted for Cesium-137 (Cs-137) has entered the U.S. commerce.'

Customs and Border Protection agents first detected the radioactive isotope earlier this month in shipping containers at four major US ports, sounding the alarm to the FDA.

The ports included Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami.

The FDA then tested the contents of the shipping containers and confirmed the shrimp was contaminated.

The risk of contamination from passing a contaminated shipping container is low, but that risk compounds if a person were to eat radioactive shrimp.

Once inside your body, Cs-137 acts as a long-term, internal source of radiation that significantly increases cancer risk.

Low-level exposure to Cs-137 is common for everyone due to its persistent presence in the environment from past nuclear weapons testing in the 1950s and 60s, according to the CDC.

The significant health risk, however, comes from highly concentrated sources found in medical and industrial equipment, where the material is sealed within protective shielding to prevent exposure.

A serious danger emerges if this shielding is compromised, either accidentally or intentionally, allowing the release of the highly concentrated radioactive material.

Significant external exposure to Cs-137 can result in severe health effects, including radiation burns, acute radiation sickness, and death. The high-energy gamma radiation it emits also elevates long-term cancer risk.

If Cs-137 is ingested or inhaled, it disperses throughout the body's soft tissues, concentrating in the muscles, creating a persistent internal source of radiation.

It bombards surrounding tissues with beta particles and gamma rays, and substantially increases the likelihood of developing cancer.

The level of radiation found in the shrimp is below the official safety limit. However, the FDA is concerned that if someone ate shrimp with this level of radiation regularly for a long time, it could put their health at risk.