Radioactive material found in shrimp shipment linked to Walmart

Walmart has pulled back certain shrimp products from its stores across the United States after regulators found traces of radioactive material in a seafood shipment, according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA said frozen shrimp sold under Walmart’s Great Value brand may have been exposed to Caesium-137, a radioactive isotope, while in transit. The agency confirmed that one sample of breaded shrimp tested positive for the substance. However, it added that the tainted product “did not enter US commerce.”

As a precaution, shoppers in 13 states have been urged to discard shrimp purchased from three affected batches. The recall covers Walmart locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” a Walmart spokesperson told the BBC. “We have issued a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores. We are working with the supplier to investigate.” The retailer added that anyone who bought the recalled shrimp can return it for a full refund.

The FDA traced the contaminated shrimp to a supplier in Indonesia, where multiple shipping containers have since been blocked from entering the US.

Caesium-137, which is produced through nuclear reactions, has been linked to long-term health risks. While the levels detected in the held shipment were not high enough to cause immediate harm, FDA officials warned that prolonged exposure could raise cancer risks by damaging human cells.

The isotope is present in small amounts worldwide in soil, air, and food. It is also one of the main radioactive contaminants still present in areas impacted by the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine and the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.

Although no additional shrimp samples tested positive for Caesium-137, the FDA cautioned that contamination could not be entirely ruled out.