Potentially radioactive shrimp recalled from Walmart stores in the United States

Shrimp sold across the United States are being recalled due to possible radioactivity, U.S. authorities announced Tuesday. Imported by an Indonesian company, the crustaceans were sold in 13 of the 50 U.S. states by retail giant Walmart , the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on its website.

This recall comes after Cesium 137, a radioisotope known to be a source of radioactivity, was detected by customs authorities "in a shipment of frozen shrimp" from this company named PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, it is detailed. The level of C137 measured was minimal, however, specifies the FDA, assuring that "the product would not pose a serious danger to consumers." As for the batches of shrimp already present in American supermarkets, their contamination with C137 has not yet been confirmed, it adds.

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However, these products appear to have been prepared or stored "under unsanitary conditions" and prolonged exposure to such radiation, even minimal, is associated with "an increased risk of cancer," the FDA said. For all these reasons, the US authorities are asking Walmart to organize a recall campaign and people in possession of lots of shrimp from this manufacturer not to consume them.