JAKARTA (dpa-AFX) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced that it recently discovered and detained several international food shipping containers that contained unusual levels of cesium-137.
CBP Officers at several U.S. ports made these discoveries, thanks to advanced non-intrusive inspection equipment and dedicated radiation detection systems. In addition, experts from CBP's Laboratories and Scientific Services took part in the discovery and identification of the radioactive material and prevented these adulterated products from entering the United States.
Cs-137 is a radioisotope of cesium that is man-made through nuclear reactions. This radioisotope is used worldwide in industrial, medical, and research applications. Trace amounts of Cs-137 can be found in the environment, including soil, food, and air.
As a result of these CBP discoveries, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently issued a food safety alert on certain frozen shrimp products. FDA advised the public not to eat, sell, or serve certain imported frozen shrimp as it investigates reports of Cs-137 contamination in shipping containers and frozen shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati of Indonesia.
According to the FDA, at the level detected, Cs-137 would not pose an acute hazard to consumers but added that exposure to low-level radiation could have negative health impacts over time. The primary health concern following longer-term, repeated low-dose exposure of Cs-137 through the consumption of contaminated food or water is an elevated risk of cancer, resulting from damage to deoxyribonucleic acid within living cells of the body.
FDA said it detected Cs-137 in a single shipment of imported frozen shrimp from Indonesian company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, doing business as BMS Foods, but added that the products did not enter the U.S. market.
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