More than 85,000 bags of shrimp are being recalled due to concerns that they may have been contaminated with cesium-137 as federal health officials continue to investigate how the radioactive element may have entered the food supply.
Seattle-based AquaStar (USA) Corp recalled approximately 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 because they may have been prepared, packed or held under unsanitary conditions, which may have led to their contamination, according to a notice from The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
It’s the latest in a string of recalls linked to cesium-137 over the past month that the FDA has been investigating.
FOX Business reached out to Kroger and AquaStar for comment.
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Traces of Cs-137, a man-made radioactive form of the element cesium, are widespread and can be present in the environment in small amounts, according to the recall notice posted on Sunday. However, higher levels of it can be found in water or foods grown, raised or produced in areas with environmental contamination.
If someone has long-term repeated low-dose exposure to Cs-137, through consuming contaminated food or water over time, they could be at an elevated risk of cancer stemming from “damage to DNA within living cells of the body,” according to the notice.
The latest batch of affected products were sold across more than a dozen supermarkets, including Baker’s, City Market, Dillons, Food 4 Less, Foodsco, Kroger and Fred Meyer, in 31 states between June 12, 2025, and Sept. 17, 2025, according to the notice.
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The recalled Kroger Raw Colossal EZ Peel Shrimp was packaged in a transparent printed bag with a blue band on the top with yellow and red details. The recalled Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp is packaged in a clear plastic bag and has a white label with green stripes on top of each bag. The recalled AquaStar Raw Peeled Tail-on Shrimp Skewers is packaged in a printed bag with a black top and blue bottom and printed pictures of the skewers inside.
No illnesses have been reported to date.
Meanwhile, the FDA is actively investigating reports of Cs-137 contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed in Indonesia.
PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, doing business as BMS Foods, has been at the center of the FDA’s investigation as federal health officials say they “determined that product from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati violates the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act in that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.”
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The latest recall comes just weeks after the FDA issued warnings that 26,460 packages of cocktail shrimp and approximately 18,000 bags of Kroger Mercado Cooked Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp are being pulled from shelves due to possible radioactive contamination. A week before that, the FDA issued a do not sell or eat advisory after a shipment of Walmart shrimp tested positive for the radioactive material.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection alerted the FDA about the contamination detected in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed in Indonesia. The products were found at four U.S. ports: Los Angeles, Houston, Miami and Savannah, Georgia, according to a news release from the FDA.
The FDA is working with distributors and retailers who received seafood from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati after Customs first found traces of Cs-137. While later shipments didn’t test positive, the FDA said it is still recommending recalls out of caution as it determined that the company’s products were handled in unsanitary conditions that may have led to contamination with Cs-137.
FOX Business’ Rachel Wolf contributed to this report.
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