The Walmart And Albertsons Shrimp Recall: Health Risks You Need To Know
Many Americans reach for canned food at the grocery store. Canned food is shelf-stable and is often packed with the same nutrition as fresh food. But the canned food section has had a rough couple of years.
A majority of canned food is packaged in aluminum. However, since 2020, there has been an increased demand for the metal. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated it, resulting in an aluminum shortage, Quartz reported in 2021. Prices for the material also spiked to their highest in a decade, the outlet reported at the time. Unfortunately, it looks like the shortage won't be gone anytime soon, and canned pet food may also be affected.
More recently, some brands of canned tuna have been in the limelight for containing high levels of mercury, according to a Feb. 9 Consumer Reports investigation. Now, one New York company has recalled its canned shrimp over other health concerns.
Canned shrimp recalled for potential contamination
On Feb. 26, Kawasho Foods USA Inc. announced a recall of its canned GEISHA Medium Shrimp, according to the Food and Drug Administration. The company recalled a single lot of its 4-ounce cans due to reports of the cans potentially swelling, leaking, and bursting.
The products may also be under-processed, which can lead to risk of "spoilage organisms or pathogens." Specifically, there's a potential risk of contamination of Clostridium botulinum. Consuming this toxin can lead to botulism, an illness that can cause "difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The impacted canned shrimp were sold at Walmart, Associated Food Stores, Stater Bros Markets, Safeway, and Albertsons in California, Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. Kawasho Foods USA Inc. advises consumers not to consume the product, even if it doesn't appear or smell spoiled, and to return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. To check if you bought an affected can, look for the code UPC 071140003909 on the product. The recalled cans are part of lot LGC12W12E22. The best-by date is May 12, 2026.