Highlights:

• Three specific lot codes of Great Value frozen shrimp sold at Louisiana Walmart stores must be discarded immediately due to radioactive contamination
• Cesium-137, a man-made radioactive isotope, was detected in shrimp from Indonesian supplier PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati
• Products with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1 (all with March 15, 2027 best-by dates) are affected
• Louisiana residents who purchased these products should throw them away and contact Walmart for full refunds
• Long-term exposure to Cesium-137 increases cancer risk, though immediate health danger is considered low

FDA Warns Louisiana Families: Throw Away These Walmart Frozen Shrimp Immediately

Radioactive contamination discovered in Great Value brand products sold across Louisiana stores puts public health at risk

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — Louisiana families need to check their freezers immediately for specific lots of Great Value frozen shrimp that federal health officials warn could contain dangerous radioactive contamination.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration put out an urgent warning Tuesday telling people not to eat specific lots of Great Value frozen shrimp. According to the FDA, "Consumers should not eat or serve certain lots of Great Value raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart stores in AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MO, MS, OH, OK, PA, TX, and WV" after they found Cesium-137 contamination in products from an Indonesian seafood company.

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What Louisiana Families Need to Know About the Contaminated Shrimp

The problem affects Great Value frozen raw white vannamei shrimp that come in 2-pound bags. You're looking for three specific lot codes: 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1. All three have a best-by date of March 15, 2027.

The contamination started when U.S. Customs caught Cesium-137 in shipping containers from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (they also go by BMS Foods), a seafood processor in Indonesia.

Cesium-137 is bad news. The CDC explains that this radioactive material "is produced by nuclear fissions for use in medical devices and gauges" and "can cause burns, acute radiation sickness, and even death" when people get exposed to high amounts.

Health Risks and What Louisiana Residents Should Do

Here's the thing — the contamination levels they found won't hurt you right away. The FDA said "At this level, the product would not pose an acute hazard to consumers." But here's the catch: eating contaminated food over time can cause problems.

According to the FDA, "The primary health effect of concern following longer term, repeated low dose exposure (e.g., through consumption of contaminated food or water over time) is an elevated risk of cancer, resulting from damage to DNA within living cells of the body."

If you bought any of these shrimp, here's what you need to do:

• Throw them out immediately — don't try to cook them or wash them off
• Don't eat them under any circumstances
• Take your receipt to the Walmart where you bought them for a full refund
• If you think you might have eaten contaminated shrimp, call your doctor

Timeline and Louisiana Store Response

Walmart didn't waste time once they got word from the FDA. The company pulled the products from shelves and issued this statement: "The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority. We have issued a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores. We are working with the supplier to investigate."

The FDA also banned all products from this Indonesian company until they fix whatever caused the contamination problem. They're not taking any chances.

What Happens Next for Louisiana Consumers

The good news is that "no product that has tested positive or alerted for Cesium-137 (Cs-137) has entered the U.S. commerce," according to the FDA. They caught this before contaminated shrimp actually got to grocery stores. The recall covers shrimp that came from the same company after they first detected the problem, just to be safe.

Louisiana shoppers are dealing with this alongside people in 12 other states where Walmart distributed these products.

The contamination level they found was 68.48 Bq/kg, which sounds scary but actually sits below the FDA's danger threshold of 1200 Bq/kg. Still, health officials worry about what happens if people eat contaminated food regularly, especially when you add in radiation exposure from other sources like medical X-rays.

If you have questions about getting your money back, contact Walmart customer service or visit your local store. The FDA is still investigating this mess alongside Indonesian officials.