The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded an ongoing shrimp recall to include additional products due to concerns about potential radioactive contamination. The recalled shrimp, sold by Southwind Foods, LLC, based in Carson, California, were announced in an FDA alert dated Thursday.
According to the FDA, Southwind Foods is “voluntarily recalling a limited quantity of frozen shrimp” because they may be contaminated with Cesium-137, a known radioactive isotope. The frozen shrimp, both raw and cooked, were distributed across nine states—Alabama, Arizona, California, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia—between July 17 and August 8.
The affected products are marketed under several brand names, including Sand Bar, Arctic Shores, Best Yet, Great American, and First Street. Although no illnesses have been reported in connection with these products, the FDA is taking precautionary measures following a similar recall of raw frozen shrimp sold under the Great Value brand at Walmart, which occurred earlier this week.
Both Southwind Foods’ and Great Value’s shrimp were packaged in Indonesia by BMS Foods, prompting the FDA to evaluate the processing conditions at this facility. The agency concluded that shrimp processed at BMS Foods may have been prepared under conditions that violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, raising safety concerns.
Due to these findings, the FDA has suspended imports from BMS Foods until the firm addresses the identified violations. However, the agency stated that to date, no shrimp associated with Cesium-137 has entered the U.S. food supply.
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The FDA is committed to tracking all products linked to BMS Foods and will work with industry partners to gather further intelligence and take necessary actions. Cesium-137 is a soft, silvery-white metal with hazardous properties; large doses can lead to serious health effects, including burns, acute radiation sickness, and potentially fatal consequences, as outlined by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
This report also includes contributions from ABC News’ Sony Salzman and Bill Hutchinson.
