Over 85,000 Bags of Contaminated Shrimp Recalled from Louisiana Krogers

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — If you bought frozen shrimp from Kroger recently, check your freezer right now. AquaStar (USA) Corp just recalled 85,184 bags of frozen shrimp that might be contaminated with radioactive cesium-137.

The recall covers three products: 49,920 bags of Kroger Raw Colossal EZ Peel Shrimp, 18,000 bags of Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp, and 17,264 bags of AquaStar Raw Peeled Tail-on Shrimp Skewers. All were sold at Louisiana Kroger stores from June 12 through September 17.

The problem started when U.S. Customs found cesium-137 in shipping containers at four ports: Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami. FDA testing confirmed that one sample of breaded shrimp had the radioactive material. All the contaminated shipments came from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati is an Indonesian seafood company.

What You Need to Know

Cesium-137 is radioactive. It's man-made and gets into the environment from nuclear weapons testing and reactor accidents. If you eat contaminated food repeatedly over time, it can damage your DNA and raise your cancer risk.

Here's what happened: The Indonesian company that processed these shrimp did it under conditions that let cesium-137 get in. U.S. Customs caught it at the border, but some products from earlier shipments already made it to stores.

The good news: The amount found was way below levels that would make you sick right away. The FDA's safety limit is 1,200 becquerels per kilogram. The contaminated shrimp had about 68 becquerels per kilogram. But the FDA still wants these products off the shelves because eating them regularly could be a problem.

Check Your Freezer for These Products

Look for these exact items and throw them out:

Kroger Raw Colossal EZ Peel Shrimp (2 pounds)

• Clear bag with blue band across the top
• UPC: 20011110643906
• Lot codes starting with "10662" followed by numbers like 5085, 5097, 5106, 5107, 5111, 5112, 5113, or 5114
• "Best If Used By" dates from March 26, 2027, to April 24, 2027

Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp (2 pounds)

• Clear bag with white label and green stripes
• UPC: 011110626196
• Lot codes: 10662 5112 11 or 10662 5113 10
• "Best Before" dates: October 22, 2027, or October 23, 2027

AquaStar Raw Peeled Tail-on Shrimp Skewers (1.25 pounds)

• Black top, blue bottom bag with pictures of shrimp skewers
• UPC: 731149390010
• Lot codes: 10662 5127 10, 10662 5128 11, 10662 5133 11, or 10662 5135 10
• "Best If Used By" dates from November 7, 2027, to November 15, 2027

What Happens Next

This isn't the first time this year Louisiana has been hit with contaminated shrimp. Back in August, Walmart recalled Great Value shrimp from the same Indonesian company. That recall affected 13 states, including Louisiana.

READ MORE: Radioactive Shrimp Recall Hits Louisiana Walmart Locations

The FDA has banned all imports from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati until they fix whatever caused this problem. Nobody knows yet exactly how the cesium-137 got into the shrimp, but the FDA is working with Indonesian officials to find out.

No one has gotten sick from any of these recalled shrimp products. But if you think you ate some, here's what to do:

Right Now:

• Don't eat any shrimp that matches the descriptions above
• Don't try to cook it or wash it - that won't get rid of radioactive contamination
• Throw it out or take it back to Kroger for a full refund

If You're Worried:

• Call your doctor if you think you ate recalled shrimp
• There are blood and urine tests that can check for cesium exposure, but most people won't need them
• People over 65 and those with weak immune systems might be more at risk

About Cesium-137

Cesium-137 comes from nuclear bombs, nuclear power plant accidents, and weapons testing from the 1950s and 60s. It's also what leaked from Chernobyl and Fukushima. The stuff gets into water and soil and can hang around for decades.

You can find tiny amounts of cesium-137 everywhere now - it's in the air, soil, and food. Scientists say the amount in these shrimp is similar to what you'd find in a banana (bananas are slightly radioactive, too). But while a banana is natural background radiation, this contamination shouldn't be in your food.

The main worry is if you keep eating contaminated food for months or years. That's when it can damage cells and possibly cause cancer down the road. That's why the FDA wants these products gone, even though the levels are low.