FDA recalled frozen cooked shrimp sold at Costco and other retailers

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Don’t throw that shrimp on the barbie just yet! The Food and Drug Administration has announced a recall of frozen cooked shrimp due to a potential health risk. On Aug. 11, Kader Exports announced a voluntary recall of frozen shrimp due to possible salmonella contamination.

The frozen, peeled, deveined, cooked shrimp being recalled was sold under the following brand names:

  • Aqua Star Reserve
  • Censea
  • Fresh Market
  • Kirkland
  • Tops
  • Unistar
  • Wellsley Farms

The shrimp was sold at several retailers, including Costco, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Fresh Market grocery stores from late February to mid-May 2020. It was sold in three sizes: 1-pound, 1 1/2-pounds and 2-pound packages in the frozen foods sections of grocery stores.

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If you have any of these brands in your freezer, you’ll want to check the complete list of codes for the recalled products on the FDA’s recall notice.

Salmonella is a bacteria that can cause foodborne illness, often referred to as food poisoning. According to the Centers for Disease Control, salmonella causes more than 1 million cases of food poisoning every year in the U.S., leading to 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths.

No illnesses have been reported to date associated with the shrimp being recalled. However, the FDA did test cooked shrimp imported by Kader Exports and did find salmonella contamination, which they believe was caused by cross-contamination. The FDA also reports that the company has eliminated the source of contamination and taken steps to prevent a recurrence.

While cooking food to the proper temperature can kill salmonella and other harmful bacteria, it doesn’t always. According to James E. Rogers, who is the director of food safety research and testing at Consumer Reports and has a doctorate in microbiology and immunology, it’s not worth the risk.

If you believe you have purchased any of these products, the FDA recommends returning them to the store from which you purchased them for a full refund. Or just throw them out. If you have any questions, you can contact Kader Exports, which is based in India, by calling +91-022-62621004 or +91-022-62621009. A representative is available Monday through Friday between 10:00 and 16:00 GMT.

About the Author

Tricia Goss

Tricia is a professional writer and editor who lives in North Texas with her family and one smelly dog. She is a wannabe problem solver, junk food maven professional coffee practitioner, web guru and general communicator. More.

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