Shrimp recalled by officials over concerning risk of radiation contamination

The US has seen plenty of food recalls through 2025, covering everything from tomatoes and cucumbers to bologna and cans of Dr Pepper.

Now there’s another on the books, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcing a recall on 19 August 2025 for frozen shrimp sold at Walmart.

While recalls are typically based on a potential bacterial contamination, such as with listeria, salmonella, or E. coli, mislabelled ingredients or even mispackaged products, this recall is about a radiation risk.

The FDA said the affected shrimp products may be contaminated with Caesium-137 (Cs-137), with an investigating underway around reports that the radioactive material is present in associated shipping containers.

The affected shrimp may be contaminated with Caesium-137, a radioactive substance (Israel Sebastian/Getty Images)

The shrimp was processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati of Indonesia, also known as BMS Food.

Affected shrimp has been sold at Walmart stores across 13 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas and West Virginia.

"If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away," said the FDA. "Do not eat or serve this product."

(Feifei Cui-Paoluzzo/Getty Images)

Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the affected shrimp products has been advised to speak with their healthcare provider.

The FDA has marked out these Walmart products for the recall:

• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027

“At this time, no product that has tested positive or alerted for Cesium-137 (Cs-137) has entered the U.S. commerce,” said the FDA’s statement.

“FDA is working with distributors and retailers that received product from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati after the date of first detection of Cs-137 by Customs & Border Protection (CBP), but from shipments that did not alert for Cs-137, to recommend that firms conduct a recall.

“In conjunction with other information, FDA determined that product from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati violates the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act in that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.”

Caesium-137 is a radioactive form of the silver-white metal that’s liquid at room temperature. It’s primarily used for medical devices and gauges.

Low dose exposure has been linked to an increased cancer risk.

The FDA continued: “FDA detected Cs-137 in a single shipment of imported frozen shrimp from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati that did not enter U.S. commerce. The level of Cs-137 detected in the detained shipment was approximately 68 Bq/kg, which is below FDA’s Derived Intervention Level for Cs-137 of 1200 Bq/kg.

Affected customers are advised not to eat the shrimp (Bloomberg / Contributor/Getty Images)

“At this level, the product would not pose an acute hazard to consumers. Avoiding products like the shipment FDA tested with similar levels of Cs-137 is a measure intended to reduce exposure to low-level radiation that could have health impacts with continued exposure over a long period of time.”

FOODBible has approached PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati for comment.