It sounds like something from a bad sci-fi movie. Call it, “Invasion of the Radioactive Shrimp.” Only it’s no joke.
On Tuesday the federal government announced a recall of frozen, raw shrimp Walmart sells in 13 states because the shellfish may have been exposed to Cesium-137, a radioactive contaminant. Walmart is one of the biggest retailers in Black communities nationwide.
The products could pose a “potential health concern” for people exposed to low levels of Cesium-137 over time, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said in a statement. “If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away,” according to the statement.
Cesium-13, which is found worldwide, is a byproduct of nuclear reactions, including nuclear bombs, testing, reactor operations and accidents.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detected Cesium-137 in shipping containers at the ports of Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami.
The isotope also showed up in a tested sample of frozen breaded shrimp, which weren’t allowed to leave the port of entry. As a result, the FDA asked Walmart to stop selling three lots of Great Value brand frozen shrimp from its stores.
The level detected in the frozen breaded shrimp is lower than the level that usually triggers FDA intervention. But the agency said the recall is “intended to reduce exposure to low-level radiation that could have health impacts with continued exposure over a long period of time.”
A global retail giant, Walmart serves billions of consumers a year, and an estimated 14% of its customer base is Black.
Earlier this year, civil rights activists called for consumers to boycott Walmart nationwide to protest its rollback of diversity, equity and inclusion programs and its intent to raise its prices. The boycotts come after Walmart lost an estimated $22 billion in market value.
