More shrimp sold at Kroger stores recalled for possible radioactive
contamination
[September 23, 2025]
By JONEL ALECCIA
A Seattle seafood distributor has recalled more cooked and frozen shrimp
sold at Kroger grocery stores across the U.S. because of ongoing
concerns about potential radioactive contamination.
Aquastar Corp. on Saturday recalled nearly 157,000 additional pounds of
shrimp because of possible contamination with cesium 137, a radioactive
isotope. The new recall includes nearly 50,000 bags of Kroger Raw
Colossal EZ Peel Shrimp, about 18,000 bags of Kroger Mercado Cooked
Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp and more than 17,000 bags of AquaStar
Peeled Tail-on Shrimp Skewers.
The products were sold between June 12 and Sept. 17 at grocery stores in
more than 30 states. They include Bakers, City Market, Dillons, Food 4
Less, Foodsco, Fred Meyer, Fry's, Gerbes, Jay C, King Soopers, Kroger,
Mariano's, Metro Market, Pay Less Supermarkets, Pick 'n Save, Ralph's,
Smith's and QFC.
The company previously recalled shrimp products in August.
The new recall is the latest action in an ongoing investigation of
potential contamination with cesium 137, a byproduct of nuclear
reactions, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The risk
appears to be small, but the shrimp could pose a “potential health
concern” for people exposed to low levels of cesium 137 over time, FDA
officials said.
The FDA issued a safety alert in August warning consumers not to eat
certain frozen shrimp imported from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, an
Indonesian company doing business as BMS Foods. Cesium 137 was detected
in shipping containers from the company sent to several U.S. ports and
in a sample of frozen breaded shrimp.
None of the shrimp that triggered alerts or tested positive for cesium
137 was released for sale, the FDA emphasized at the time. But other
shipments sent to stores may have been manufactured under conditions
that allowed the products to become contaminated, the agency said.
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This undated photo released by the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration, FDA, shows a product label for Kroger Mercado Cooked
Medium Peeled Tail-Off Shrimp. (FDA via AP)
The FDA posted an import alert to stop potentially contaminated shrimp
from entering the U.S. More than 3 million pounds of shrimp exported by
BMS Foods has arrived at U.S. ports in September, according to U.S.
Customs and Border Protection records.
Contaminated metal at the industrial site in Indonesia where the shrimp
processor is located may be the source of the radioactive material,
officials have said. The International Atomic Energy Agency said
evidence suggests that activities at a smelting facility or from
disposal of scrap metal could be the cause.
U.S. officials have declined to respond to detailed questions from The
Associated Press about the source or extent of the contamination.
Experts in nuclear radiation agree that the health risk is low, but they
say it’s important to determine the contamination's source and share
that information with the public.
The level of cesium 137 detected in the frozen shrimp was about 68
becquerels per kilogram, a measure of radioactivity. That is far below
the FDA’s level of 1,200 becquerels per kilogram that could trigger the
need for health protections.
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