If you’ve got a stash of frozen shrimp in your freezer right now, you might want to check the label, fast.
The recall has sent shockwaves through grocery aisles, with nearly 45,000 pounds of shrimp yanked from stores due to deadly listeria contamination fears. The precooked, peeled, and ready-to-eat shrimp, a go-to for busy families, could pose serious health risks, especially for children, pregnant women, and anyone with a weak immune system.
The recall, announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, traces back to Bornstein Seafoods, a major seafood processor headquartered in Bellingham, Washington, with its primary facility in Astoria, Oregon. While the affected shrimp was initially distributed in Oregon, Washington, and California, the recall notice warns it may have reached stores across the U.S. and even British Columbia.
What makes this recall especially alarming is the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, a dangerous bacteria discovered during routine sampling. Listeria can lead to a condition called listeriosis, which causes fever, muscle aches, nausea, confusion, and, in severe cases, seizures or death. For healthy adults, it might just be a very bad stomach bug. But for children, elderly individuals, and pregnant women, it could be life-threatening. In fact, pregnant women infected with listeria risk miscarriage or premature birth.
The contaminated shrimp was sold in one- and five-pound plastic bags labeled “Cooked & Peeled Ready-To-Eat Coldwater Shrimp Meat” under the Bornstein Seafoods brand. Consumers can identify the tainted products by checking for the universal product code 614133200246 and lot numbers printed on the back bottom of each bag. There are 16 specific lot numbers affected, including A19008, A19009, P11710, and several others listed in the FDA alert.
The shrimp, marketed as a convenient dinner staple, is now at the center of a national food safety scare. Despite the recall’s scale, no illnesses have been reported so far. But health experts aren’t taking any chances. Customers are urged not to eat the shrimp under any circumstance. Instead, they should return it to the store they bought it from for a full refund. Taking the risk, especially with kids at home, simply isn’t worth it.
Bornstein Seafoods has yet to comment publicly on the issue. Interestingly, the company’s website now shows its entire stock of cold water shrimp as “sold out,” likely a result of the recall frenzy. Known for claiming to be one of the world’s top shrimp producers, Bornstein has touted its “unsurpassed product quality” and investments in high-end production equipment. This recall, though, could deal a serious blow to that reputation.
For now, families across the country are being extra cautious. The recall is a sharp reminder that even our most convenient freezer staples can sometimes come with hidden dangers. Always check labels, stay updated on recalls, and when in doubt, toss it out.
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