FDA Issues Warning Over Potentially Radioactive Shrimp

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These shrimp could be seriously fried—but hold the rice. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced on August 19 a recall of various lot codes of Great Value’s frozen raw shrimp due to potential contamination with the radioactive isotope Cesium-137, which has an expiration date of March 15, 2027. The affected lot numbers include 8005538-01, 8005539-01, and 8005540-01.

PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, a seafood processing company based in Indonesia, is under investigation by the FDA because they reportedly failed to inform their distributors about the presence of Cesium-137 in their facilities. At present, there’s no need for a product recall as none of the contaminated shrimp have been sold in the U.S. market.

The amount of Cesium detected in the confiscated shrimp shipment was approximately 68 units per kilogram, which is noticeably less than the 1200 units per kilogram that the FDA considers dangerous enough to cause severe harm. (Each unit, or becquerel, represents one second’s worth of radioactive decay.)

Although the FDA states in its recent announcement that any level of radioactive exposure, no matter how minimal, has the potential to harm DNA and potentially increase the risk of cancer. The latest alert specifically advises individuals who have purchased Walmart’s branded frozen shrimp to discard it and encourages stores to remove this product from their shelves as a precautionary measure.

Additionally, if you’ve consumed Great Value shrimp not long ago and are experiencing symptoms such as nausea or fever, the Food and Drug Administration advises you to consult with a healthcare professional.

It turns out that shrimp isn’t the only food causing a commotion recently. Last month, there was quite a buzz on social media when High Noon unintentionally labeled several packages of their product with Celsius energy drink labels. Fortunately, the alcoholic shipments were limited to Florida, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Virginia, and Wisconsin. However, the internet quickly turned this mishap into a series of humorous memes.

In response to all the excitement, one user playfully compared it to ‘searching for high noon in a Celsius degree canister being similar to discovering Willy Wonka’s golden ticket.’

Keep reading for more eyebrow raising food recalls… 

In August 2025, Dollar General announced a product recall for their eight-ounce packs of Clover Valley instant coffee due to a possible presence of glass shards in the items. These affected coffee packets are available for purchase in 48 states across the United States.

Dollar General is currently looking into the origin of the glass particles found in some products, and they express their regret for any trouble this problem may have caused.

 

In July 2025, New Mexico Piñon Coffee joined several brands in issuing a significant recall of their products due to a packaging issue with their dark roast 10-pack K-cup pods. The reason for the recall was that ink on the packaging might leak into the brewed coffee. However, it’s important to note that no other product from the company was affected by this incident.

In the initial announcement, the brand requested that customers who had bought the specified items consider discarding them or sending them back.

In July 2025, two batches of Celsius’ ASTRO VIBE™ Energy Drink, Sparkling Blue Razz Edition, were recalled by the FDA. The reason being, these production lots were found to be mislabeled and contained Hard Seltzers from High Noon instead of the advertised non-alcoholic drink.

In their announcement, the company stated, “The recall was launched following our discovery that an error by a common packaging provider led to them shipping emptied CELSIUS cans to us instead.

 

In July 2025, Ritz Crackers hastily withdrew a batch of their Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches that were incorrectly labeled, following a warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The error posed a potential risk to life for those who bought the 8-pack, 20-pack, or 40-pack boxes of RITZ Peanut Butter Cracker Sandwiches, as well as the 20-pack RITZ Filled Cracker Sandwich Variety Pack.

For individuals with a peanut allergy or extreme sensitivity, consuming this item could lead to potentially dangerous or even life-threatening allergic reactions. It is essential to note that all packaging has been accurately labeled and carries an advisory statement informing consumers that the product ‘contains peanuts.’

 

In 2023, Starbucks decided to remove their signature Frappuccino bottles from grocery store shelves due to a possible contamination issue. Approximately 25,000 cases or around 300,000 individual bottles might have contained small pieces of broken glass. The affected bottles were primarily the Vanilla-flavored ones with expiration dates ranging from March to June 2023.

Currently, a representative from Starbucks shared with NPR that they are in the process of taking these products off the shelves.

In the year 2022, General Mills delved into the enigma surrounding approximately 3,000 Lucky Charms consumers who complained of varying degrees of digestive problems, from mild to severe, after consuming the cereal.

Regarding food safety, it’s our utmost concern, as clearly communicated on our social platforms,” the brand stated. “Your worries are always given careful attention.

However, the brand noted it must have been a lousy leprechaun trick. 

In the course of our ongoing inquiries, we haven’t uncovered any proof that connects the consumption of Lucky Charms with customer illness.

In 2015, Bimbo Bakeries, responsible for Sara Lee and Nature’s Harvest breads, issued a recall on numerous products due to an incident where a lightbulb broke in their factory. This event led to approximately 48,000 packaged goods being potentially affected, as the company announced in a previous statement.

Initially, a consumer discovered small pieces of glass fragments on the exterior of their bread packaging. In response, the company announced that this issue led to contaminated bread being shipped to eleven states, including Alabama, Florida, Tennessee, and South Carolina.

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2025-08-19 22:18