Shrimp recall over cesium-137 in Indonesia-linked shipments

A Seattle-based importer on Friday issued a voluntary recall of frozen shrimp sold under several brand names after U.S. authorities detected the radioactive isotope cesium-137 in shipments tied to an Indonesian supplier. AquaStar USA Corp said it is working with the Food and Drug Administration and urged consumers to return or dispose of affected products; no illnesses have been reported.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected cesium-137 in shipping containers at ports in Miami, Los Angeles, Houston and Savannah, prompting follow-up testing by the FDA. That testing identified cesium-137 in one sample of breaded shrimp linked to shipments from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, which does business as BMS Foods in Indonesia. The FDA has said that product from BMS Foods appears to have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions and may violate the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

The recall covers frozen raw shrimp marketed under the AquaStar, Best Yet, Waterfront Bistro and certain Publix brand names and includes product distributed to multiple national and regional retailers. Specific lots of Waterfront Bistro Frozen Raw EZ-Peel White Shrimp were identified as...