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Recall Widens of Frozen Shrimp Sold at Whole Foods, Kroger, Other Retailers
Multiple brands of cooked shrimp linked to salmonella outbreak
Business Wire/AP Newsroom
A recall of frozen cooked shrimp due to possible contamination with salmonella was expanded to include additional sizes, packaging types and brand names. The affected products were shipped nationwide and sold at a number of major retailers.
Avanti Frozen Foods issued its original voluntary recall on June 25, the same day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention initially announced a salmonella outbreak linked to frozen shrimp supplied by the company. On July 21, the CDC declared the outbreak over but reopened its investigation after three new cases were subsequently reported.
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In all, nine people have been confirmed to be infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella weltevreden, and three were hospitalized. Of the three additional infections confirmed since the outbreak was thought to be over, at least one person interviewed by public health officials ate frozen cooked shrimp supplied by Avanti Frozen Foods. Victims ranged in age from 30 to 80 and got sick between Feb. 26 and July 17. Those who fell ill live in Arizona, Michigan, Nevada and Rhode Island.
Brands affected by shrimp recall
The full list of recalled frozen cooked shrimp, including product descriptions, packaging details and expiration dates, is available from the FDA.
- 365
- Ahold
- Big River
- Censea
- Chicken of the Sea
- CWNO
- First Street
- Food Lion
- Hannaford
- Harbor Banks
- Honest Catch
- HOS
- Meijer
- Nature's Promise
- Open Acres
- Sandbar
- Sea Cove
- Waterfront Bistro
- Wellsley Farms
- WFNO
Source: FDA; CDC; Avanti Frozen Foods
The CDC estimates that the actual number of infections is likely higher than reported because people are not regularly tested for salmonella and many who are infected recover without medical care. In addition, recent illnesses may not be included in the total because it takes up to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Recalled shrimp products
The recalled products include various sizes of cooked, peeled and deveined frozen shrimp sold in various packaging sizes, with and without cocktail sauce, at stores nationwide between November 2020 and May 2021.
The shrimp was sold under several brands, including such store brands as 365 (a Whole Foods brand), Food Lion, Hannaford and Meijer. Other retailers that sold the recalled shrimp include Kroger and Albertsons. In California, some shrimp sushi sold at Whole Foods and Target was also recalled.
Consumers who purchased any of the recalled shrimp products are advised to throw them away or return them to where they were purchased. Any surfaces touched by the recalled products should be sanitized.
Not all shrimp products sold under these brands or by these retailers are included in the recall. The full list of recalled shrimp products is listed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) here.
Symptoms of a salmonella infection
Tainted food is the primary cause of salmonella infections. The CDC estimates the bacteria leads to about 26,500 hospitalizations and 420 deaths in the U.S. every year.
Those who contract salmonellosis, the intestinal infection caused by the bacteria, typically experience diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. In severe cases, the infection can spread from the intestines to other parts of the body, including the blood, bones or brain. Symptoms usually begin six hours to six days after infection and last up to seven days. In some instances, however, symptoms appear weeks after infection or persist for weeks, according to the CDC.
Infections can be confirmed with a lab test. Although most people can recover on their own, antibiotics are recommended for anyone with a severe illness. Antibiotics are also advised for infected adults older than 65 (or over 50 if an underlying condition such as heart disease is present), infants and those with weakened immune systems.
Aaron Kassraie writes about issues important to military veterans and their families for AARP. He also serves as a general assignment reporter. Kassraie previously covered U.S. foreign policy as a correspondent for the Kuwait News Agency's Washington bureau and worked in news gathering for USA Today and Al Jazeera English.
Signs of a severe salmonella infection
The CDC recommends contacting your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees F
- Diarrhea for more than three days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as not urinating much, having a dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up
Source: CDC
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