On August 19, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an urgent warning to the public: do not eat, sell, or serve certain Great Value brand raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart. The reason? A potential contamination with Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope that, while sounding like something out of a science fiction thriller, poses very real health risks if consumed over time.
According to multiple reports, including those from Axios, TIME, and CBS News, the alert came after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detected Cesium-137 in shipping containers at four U.S. ports—Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah, Georgia. The shrimp in question originated from Indonesia’s BMS Foods, specifically the company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, which has supplied frozen shrimp under Walmart’s popular Great Value label.
The FDA’s investigation was triggered when CBP discovered elevated levels of Cesium-137 in several containers arriving from Indonesia. Subsequent testing by the FDA found the radioactive isotope in one sample of breaded shrimp from the same supplier. While this might sound alarming, the FDA was quick to reassure the public that none of the shrimp that tested positive for Cesium-137 had entered the U.S. food supply as of the date of the warning. All containers and products that raised red flags were denied entry into the country. Still, the agency recommended a recall of all products from BMS Foods shipped after the contaminated containers were flagged, as a precautionary measure.
The specific shrimp products affected are Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp with lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1, each with a "Best by Date" of March 15, 2027. These items were sold at Walmart stores in at least twelve states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
For consumers who may have purchased these products, the FDA’s advice was unequivocal: “If you have recently purchased raw frozen shrimp from Walmart that matches this description, throw it away. Do not eat or serve this product,” the agency stated in its press release. Distributors and retailers were also instructed to dispose of the product and not to sell or serve it under any circumstances. Customers can return the shrimp to Walmart for a full refund, and the retailer has issued a sales restriction, removing the product from all impacted stores. “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” said Kelly Hellbusch, a Walmart spokesperson, in a statement to Axios. “We are working with the supplier to investigate.”
But what exactly is Cesium-137, and why is its presence in food a cause for concern? Cesium-137 is a radioactive form of the element cesium, produced primarily through nuclear fission. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is used in medical devices and gauges, and is a byproduct of nuclear reactors and weapons testing. The isotope is notorious for its persistence in the environment, often lingering in soil and water for decades after nuclear events. People are typically exposed to tiny, harmless amounts of Cs-137 due to residual fallout from mid-20th century nuclear testing. However, elevated or prolonged exposure is another story entirely.
External exposure to large amounts of Cesium-137 can cause burns, acute radiation sickness, and even death. Even at lower levels, repeated ingestion can elevate the risk of cancer by damaging DNA within living cells, according to both the FDA and the EPA. The FDA emphasized that the amount of Cesium-137 detected in the imported shrimp—about 68 Bq/kg—was well below its threshold of 1200 Bq/kg for imported foods. “At this level, the product would not pose an acute hazard to consumers,” the FDA said. However, the agency added, “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.”
In its public communications, the FDA was careful to note that its warning was primarily a preventive measure. The agency stated, “FDA has not detected Cs-137 in any product above the current derived intervention levels for Cs-137 (1200 Bq/kg); however, FDA has concluded that the level detected in the breaded shrimp sample could represent a potential health concern for those exposed to this level of Cs-137 from consumption of the shrimp over an extended period of time combined with radiation that exists in the environment and from other sources such as medical procedures.”
For now, all products from BMS Foods are banned from entering the U.S. until the company resolves the contamination issues. The FDA cited a violation of the Federal Food, Drug, & Cosmetic Act, noting that the shrimp “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.” The agency is working with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to investigate the root cause of the contamination and to ensure that no further shipments present a risk to American consumers.
Walmart, for its part, moved swiftly to address the situation. In a statement to CBS News, the company said, “We have issued a sales restriction and removed this product from our impacted stores. We are working with the supplier to investigate.” Customers who purchased the affected shrimp can return it to any Walmart location for a full refund, no questions asked.
For those worried about potential exposure, the FDA suggests discarding the product and, if there are any health concerns, contacting a healthcare provider. While the risk from this particular incident appears low, the episode underscores the importance of rigorous food safety standards and international cooperation in safeguarding the food supply chain.
As the investigation continues, the FDA and Walmart are keeping a close eye on the situation, determined to ensure that only the safest products reach American dinner tables. In the meantime, consumers are urged to check their freezers and err on the side of caution—when it comes to radioactive shrimp, it’s simply not worth the risk.
