More companies pull thousands of packages of shrimp for potential radioactive contamination
More companies are recalling tens of thousands of packages of imported shrimp sold at Walmart, Kroger and other U.S. stores because they may contain radioactive contamination, according to federal notices.
AquaStar USA Corp. of Seattle is recalling more than 26,000 packages of refrigerated cocktail shrimp sold at Walmart stores in 27 states between July 31 and Aug. 16. The company is also recalling about 18,000 bags of Kroger-branded cooked, medium peeled, tail-off shrimp sold at stores in 17 states between July 24 and Aug. 11.
At the same time, H&N Group Inc., a wholesale seafood distributor in Vernon, California, is recalling more than 17,000 cases of frozen shrimp sold to grocery stores on the East Coast, according to a notice from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That recall began on Aug. 12.
The products have been pulled because they may be contaminated with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope that is a byproduct of nuclear reactions. The risk appears to be small, but the shrimp could pose a “potential health concern” for people exposed to low levels of Cesium-137 over time, FDA officials said.