In brief
Aquastar Corp. has issued a recall of nearly 157,000 pounds of shrimp products due to potential cesium 137 contamination, affecting various Kroger locations across the U.S. This follows an earlier recall in August. The FDA emphasizes the risk is low but remains a concern for public health. Consumers are advised to check their shrimp products for safety.
A Seattle seafood distributor has recalled more cooked and frozen shrimp sold at Kroger grocery stores across the U.S. due to ongoing concerns about potential radioactive contamination.
Aquastar Corp. on Saturday recalled nearly 157,000 additional pounds of shrimp because of possible contamination with cesium 137, a radioactive isotope. The recalled products include nearly 50,000 bags of Kroger Raw Colossal EZ Peel Shrimp, about 18,000 bags of Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp, and more than 17,000 bags of AquaStar Peeled Tail-on Shrimp Skewers.
The items were sold between June 12 and September 17 at grocery stores in over 30 states including Bakers, City Market, and Food 4 Less.
This new recall follows a previous shrimp recall in August. The FDA is investigating the contamination, although they indicate that the risk posed by cesium 137 appears to be small, it may present a potential health concern for frequent consumers.
The FDA issued a safety alert in August regarding a different source, Indonesian company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, which had shipments detected with cesium 137.
U.S. Customs records show over 3 million pounds of shrimp exported by BMS Foods arrived at U.S. ports in September. Officials have not confirmed the precise source of the contamination but suggest it may relate to metal contamination at the shrimp processing site.
Experts agree while the overall health risks remain low, identifying and sharing information regarding the contamination's source is crucial.
