About 600 tons of frozen shrimps from Indonesia have been sent back after the U.S. authorities found the radioactive isotope Cesium-137 in the products that were processed by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods). The goods were stopped at several ports, and therefore, a wave of concern quickly spread among the people about the issue of food safety and the reliability of the supply chain.
The workers have thoroughly checked and confirmed that no contaminated shrimp are found on store shelves, but they have still launched a bigger recall, that is, a safety measure, because some deliveries of the same manufacturer may have arrived at customs before the discovery of the problem. The levels of radiation detected in the products were far below those that immediately cause health problems; however, the experts still warn that consumers may be at risk if exposed to it for a very long period of time.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has put the company on the list of import offenders and is directing the sheltered suppliers to take the products off the shelves. The Indonesian government is already engaged in the probe of the potential contaminant source, with possible activities along the industrial area, such as the metal recycling factory, being the first place for consideration there.
The incident has caused a ripple effect on the Indonesian seafood industry, questioning the issue of quality control and safety standards. Exporters are now having difficulties getting the speculations off their neck by providing double the assurance to their international buyers as part of the compliance during the summer of 2021, with the regulators and consumers requiring more food product-handling transparency and accountability.
