Aquastar Corp., a Seattle-based seafood distributor, recalled an additional 157,000 pounds of cooked and frozen shrimp Saturday due to potential cesium 137 contamination, expanding previous recalls affecting Kroger grocery stores nationwide.
The latest recall includes nearly 50,000 bags of Kroger Raw Colossal EZ Peel Shrimp, approximately 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 sold between June 12 and September 17.
The affected products were distributed to grocery stores across more than 30 states, including Bakers, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foodsco, Fred Meyer, Fry’s, Gerbes, Jay C, King Soopers, Kroger, Mariano’s, Metro Market, Pay Less Supermarkets, Pick ‘n Save, Ralph’s, Smith’s, and QFC.
This recall follows Aquastar’s previous shrimp product recall in August as part of an ongoing FDA investigation into potential cesium 137 contamination. Cesium 137 is a radioactive isotope produced as a byproduct of nuclear reactions.
The Food and Drug Administration characterized the health risk as small but noted the shrimp could pose “potential health concerns” for individuals exposed to low levels of cesium 137 over extended periods.
The contamination investigation began when cesium 137 was detected in shipping containers from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, an Indonesian company operating as BMS Foods. The radioactive isotope was found in containers arriving at U.S. ports and in frozen breaded shrimp samples.
FDA officials emphasized that none of the shrimp testing positive for cesium 137 was released for retail sale. However, other shipments reaching stores may have been manufactured under conditions allowing contamination.
The agency issued an import alert to prevent potentially contaminated shrimp from entering the United States. Despite these measures, more than 3 million pounds of BMS Foods shrimp arrived at U.S. ports in September, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection records.
Contaminated metal at the Indonesian industrial site housing the shrimp processor may be the contamination source, according to officials. The International Atomic Energy Agency suggested that smelting facility activities or scrap metal disposal could be responsible.
U.S. officials have declined to provide detailed responses about the contamination’s source or extent when questioned.
Nuclear radiation experts agree the health risk remains low but stress the importance of identifying the contamination source and sharing information with the public.
Testing revealed cesium 137 levels of approximately 68 becquerels per kilogram in the frozen shrimp, significantly below the FDA’s 1,200 becquerels per kilogram threshold that would trigger health protection measures.
The expanding recall demonstrates ongoing challenges in international food safety oversight and the complexity of tracking contamination through global supply chains.
Consumers who purchased the recalled shrimp products should dispose of them immediately and contact retailers for refunds, following standard recall procedures for potentially contaminated food items.
