Walmart is in trouble, as it has had to recall contaminated food in 23 states: salads, ice creams and radioactive shrimp!! Yes, the largest retail chain in the country is facing one of the most serious consumer alerts of the year, in 23 states they distributed food contaminated with cesium-137 and other undeclared allergens. The FDA urges consumers to NOT ingest these foods and to return them or throw them quickly in the trash because they could have serious health consequences for those who consume them.
The news has set off alarms everywhere because this is not an isolated case. In recent months, mass food recalls in U.S. supermarkets have multiplied dramatically, what is going on?
The affected products
There are three products identified by authorities as potentially dangerous:
- Taylor Farms Honey Balsamic Salads: The recall began on August 26, when the company detected that some packages contained a dressing different from the labeled one, introducing allergens such as sesame and soy without declaring them. The affected kits were distributed in much of the country and should no longer be on the shelves.
- Blue Bell Moo-llennium Crunch Ice Cream: the ice cream brand Blue Bell voluntarily recalled several batches of its famous Moo-llennium Crunch flavor because they were mistakenly packaged in Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough containers. This exposed consumers allergic to almonds, walnuts and pecans to an unexpected risk. No incidents were reported but they allowed refunds.
- Contaminated frozen shrimp: The most alarming case arose on August 19, when the FDA issued a warning about shrimp imported from Indonesia. Inspectors detected traces of cesium-137!!! Walmart ordered to withdraw them immediately, so if you have this shrimp, do not consume it.
What is cesium-137?
This is a radioactive material that appears as a byproduct in nuclear reactors, it has a half-life of about 30 years and emits radiation very dangerous to health. If it enters the food chain it can accumulate in the muscles and increase the risk of cancer and internal damage…
What to do as a consumer?
Those who purchased Taylor Farms salads should call customer service at 855-455-0098 for more information or to request a refund.
In the case of Blue Bell ice cream, the company provided the contact 979-836-7977 and the email consumerrelations@bluebell.com to facilitate returns.
Regarding the contaminated shrimp, the recommendation is not consume them under any circumstances!!!!
Recalls.
Product recalls are something common in the market, but the magnitude of this case and the mention of radioactive shrimp make it especially striking… There is nothing to worry about (if you have consumed them, hm, yes), but these procedures show us that the safety system responds to market risks.
Of course, the FDA will continue to monitor the situation and continue working to protect public health. For its part, Walmart insists that its commitment is to maintain customer trust and will continue working with suppliers to prevent incidents like this from happening again.
Health risks
The consequences of consuming these products range from severe allergic reactions, such as anaphylaxis in people sensitive to sesame or nuts, to radiation exposure, not just anything… In addition, 23 states are exposed to these products…
The fact that these products were distributed in 23 states increases concern, as thousands of consumers may have been exposed before the batches were withdrawn.
The food system needs strict controls to ensure the safety of everything that reaches our homes. This case is quite dangerous due to its magnitude, be careful and remember that if you have one of these products you can return it, but do not consume it.