Radioactive Contamination Found in Frozen Shrimp at Major U.S. Retailers

Radioactive Contamination Found in Frozen Shrimp at Major U.S. RetailersDate: September 1, 2025

U.S. federal regulators have announced a significant food safety recall after detecting radioactive isotope cesium-137 in frozen shrimp products sold under major supermarket brands, including Walmart's Great Value line.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that the contaminated products originated from an Indonesian processing company, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods). While the affected shipments were initially intercepted at U.S. ports—including Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami—some products from the same supplier had already reached store shelves.

The discovery was made during routine inspections by U.S. Customs officials, who detected radioactive contamination on the packaging of frozen shrimp shipments1. Subsequent FDA testing identified cesium-137 in one breaded frozen shrimp product at a level of 68.48 Bq/kg (Becquerels per kilogram), well below the FDA's intervention threshold of 1,200 Bq/kg but significantly elevated above normal background radiation levels.

Walmart has initiated recalls for specific batches of its Great Value frozen raw shrimp (lot numbers 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1) distributed to at least 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. The company has removed these products from shelves and is offering full refunds to customers who purchased them.

⚠️ Despite the concerning discovery, health authorities emphasize that the public health risk remains low. The detected radiation levels are not considered immediately dangerous to human health16. Cesium-137, a fission byproduct typically associated with nuclear reactors and weapons testing, can damage cellular DNA and increase cancer risk with long-term exposure56. However, the contamination level found in these shrimp products would require consumption of unusually large quantities over extended periods to pose significant health risks.

The FDA has placed PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati on its import alert list, preventing all future shipments from this supplier from entering the United States until the contamination issue is resolved10. In its official statement, the FDA noted that "the products appear to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby they may have been rendered injurious to health".

The discovery has raised questions about the global seafood supply chain's vulnerability to radioactive contamination, particularly amid ongoing concerns about nuclear waste discharge into ocean waters69. However, FDA officials and independent experts have largely dismissed connections to Japan's Fukushima wastewater release, noting that Indonesia's shrimp industry primarily relies on coastal aquaculture rather than wild catch from the Pacific.

U.S. consumers are advised to check their freezers for the affected products and either discard them or return them to stores for a full refund5. The FDA continues to investigate how the radioactive contamination occurred and whether other products might be affected