Karmactive Staff
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has advised people not to eat certain Great Value frozen raw shrimp sold at Walmart due to potential contamination with a radioactive substance. The FDA issued the warning on August 19, 2025, after detecting Cesium-137 in shipping containers from an Indonesian supplier.
The recall affects three specific lot codes of Great Value frozen raw shrimp with a best-by date of March 15, 2027. These products were sold in 13 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
“The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” a Walmart spokesperson said. “We have issued a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection first detected Cesium-137 in shipping containers at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah. The FDA then confirmed the presence of this radioactive material in one sample of frozen breaded shrimp from the same supplier, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, also known as BMS Foods.
The contaminated sample that tested positive was denied entry into the United States and never reached store shelves. However, the FDA recommended recalling related products from the same supplier as a precaution, even though those specific shipments did not trigger contamination alerts.
The level of Cesium-137 found in the tested sample was approximately 68 Bq/kg, well below the FDA’s safety threshold of 1,200 Bq/kg. At this level, the shrimp would not cause immediate health problems, but the FDA warns that long-term exposure to low-level radiation could increase cancer risk over time.
“The primary health effect of concern following longer term, repeated low dose exposure is an elevated risk of cancer, resulting from damage to DNA within living cells of the body,” the FDA explained in its advisory.
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Cesium-137 is a man-made radioactive isotope produced through nuclear reactions. It can be found in trace amounts in soil, food, and air worldwide. It’s used in medical devices and industrial equipment, and is also a byproduct of nuclear testing and accidents.
The FDA has placed the Indonesian supplier on an import alert, preventing their products from entering the U.S. until the company resolves the contamination issue. Officials are working with Indonesian seafood regulators to investigate how the contamination occurred.
Consumers who purchased Great Value frozen raw shrimp with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1, or 8005539-1 should immediately throw it away. Walmart is offering full refunds to customers who return the affected products to the store where they purchased them.
Food safety expert Donald Schaffner from Rutgers University noted that the risk from the recalled shrimp is “quite low,” but the recall serves as a precautionary measure to prevent potential long-term health impacts.
If you suspect you’ve been exposed to the affected product, the FDA recommends consulting with your healthcare provider, though the agency emphasizes that no contaminated shrimp has entered the U.S. food supply.
The FDA continues to monitor the situation and will update its advisory as more information becomes available about this unusual food safety concern.
