A shrimp recall impacting raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart is stranger than fiction. It might be contaminated with Cesium-137 (Cs-137). A radioactive isotope.
But don’t get any ideas. Eating it will not turn you into a spider person, bulked up green dude, or X-like mutant. But it could make you sick.
Fortunately, the specific lot of shrimp that tested positive for the radioactive substance was not entered into U.S. commerce. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) isn’t taking the risk likely.
Here’s what we know about the shrimp recall so far.
This week, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) notified the FDA that shipping containers at four U.S. ports presented a measurable amount of radiation for Cs-137. Meaning, there is radioactive source material or contamination aboard the containers.
Ports included Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami.
Additional sampling found Cs-137 in a sample of Great Value brand breaded shrimp.
According to the FDA, “all containers and product testing positive or alerting for Cs-137 have been denied entry into the country.”
Although testing has not confirmed the presence of contamination in any product prior to this detection, the FDA states that “the product 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.”
Walmart has, in fact, received the implicated raw frozen shrimp. Product that was imported after the date of first Cs-137 detection. While those shipments did not alert for Cs-137, FDA has recommended that Walmart recall the products.
Certain frozen shrimp products processed by PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (doing business as BMS Foods) of Indonesia are currently subject to recall.
Shrimp recall products include:
Affected product was sold at Walmart stores in Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisianna, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
The FDA finds PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati in violation of the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act and on August 14, 2025 they added a new import alert for this company.
The FDA alleges that their product appears to have been prepared, packaged, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with Cs-137 and may pose a safety concern.
The FDA is coordinating with CBP to prevent contaminated products from reaching consumers. Additionally, the agency is working with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to investigate the root cause of the contamination.
CBP Continues to screen food products entering U.S. ports to prevent potentially dangerous products like this from reaching consumer plates.
Import alerts, radiation screening, and product testing are all ways these organizations work to keep imported food at the level of safety we expect and require of domestically produced food.
Cs-137 is not an acceptable contaminant. At any detectable level.
Cs-137 is a radioisotope of Cesium. It is a man-made contaminant produced through nuclear reactions. According to the FDA, it is widespread and world wide, so trace amounts of the isotope can be found in the environment. Soil, food, and air could be contaminated with it.
Fortunately, Cs-137 is one of the radioisotopes the FDA monitors for in food. Any unexpected discovery of Cs-137 in a food product prompts an investigation.
Small amounts of Cs-137 typically do not cause serious health problems. Large exposures or repeated low dose exposure over time present an increased risk for cancer and mammary tumors.
Acute radiation syndrome, caused by high doses of Cesium radioisotopes can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding, coma, and even death.
The FDA explains that the level of Cs-137 detected in the detained shipment was approximately 68 Bq/kg. To put this into perspective, the FDA’s Derived Intervention Level for Cs-137 is 1200 Bq/kg.
Fortunately, the detected level was well below that threshold. However, the FDA advises that low level exposure over a long period of time can cause serious health problems.
If you suspect you have been exposed to elevated levels of Cesium, talk to your healthcare provider right away. Certain tests on your blood, feces, saliva, and urine can determine whether or not the radioactive isotope is being excreted from or remains inside your body at higher than normal levels.
If you have been negatively impacted by potentially contaminated shrimp, you should also get advice from an experienced Food Poisoning Lawyer.
Contact the experienced Food Poisoning Lawyers at The Lange Law Firm.
Medical bills, lost wages, and other burdens associated with food poisoning add up.
The Lange Law Firm offers free consultations and can help you explore your legal rights. Reach out for your free consultation by phone at (833) 330-3663 or click here to email.
If you’d like to know more about food safety topics in the news, like “Walmart Radioactive Shrimp Recall! Check Your Freezers!,” check out the Make Food Safe Blog. We regularly update trending topics, foodborne infections in the news, recalls, and more! Stay tuned for quality information to help keep your family safe, while The Lange Law Firm, PLLC strives to Make Food Safe!
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)
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