The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an urgent warning and recall for certain frozen shrimp products sold under the Great Value brand at Walmart stores across 13 states, after a radioactive substance was detected in a shipment from an Indonesian supplier. The announcement, made on August 20, 2025, has sent ripples through the seafood industry and left many consumers wondering just how safe their groceries really are.
According to ABC News, the FDA’s concern centers around shipments of raw frozen shrimp processed by the Indonesian company PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (also known as BMS Foods). The radioactive isotope cesium-137 (Cs-137) was detected in a single sample of breaded shrimp detained at U.S. ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah. While the contaminated shipment never reached American store shelves, the FDA said that Walmart’s raw frozen shrimp came from the same supplier and may have been exposed to similar risks due to unsanitary handling conditions.
The agency’s advisory applies specifically to 2-pound bags of Great Value white vannamei shrimp, each with a best-by date of March 15, 2027, and lot codes 8005540-1, 8005538-1, and 8005539-1. These products were distributed to Walmart locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia. If you recently purchased frozen shrimp from Walmart, it’s worth checking your freezer.
“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,” the FDA stated, as reported by NewsNation. Although the agency emphasized that the detected level of cesium-137—about 68 becquerels per kilogram—was far below its intervention threshold of 1,200 Bq/kg, it still urged caution due to the risks associated with long-term, low-dose exposure to radioactive materials.
Walmart, for its part, responded swiftly. In a statement to CNN, the company said, “The health and safety of our customers is always a top priority,” and confirmed that it “immediately recalled the product from impacted stores.” Walmart also issued a sales restriction and removed the affected shrimp from shelves, adding that it is working closely with its supplier and regulatory authorities to investigate the incident.
So, what’s the big deal with cesium-137? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Cs-137 is a radioactive isotope produced during nuclear fission. It’s commonly used in medical applications and industrial gauges, but exposure to large amounts can be dangerous. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that concentrated exposure increases the risk of cancer, can cause burns, acute radiation sickness, and—at very high doses—even death. While tiny amounts of Cs-137 can be found in the environment, eating contaminated food over a long period could elevate cancer risk due to DNA damage within living cells.
It’s important to note that, as of now, no product that tested positive for Cs-137 has entered the U.S. market. The FDA clarified that “no product has tested positive in the U.S.,” but did not rule out the possibility of cross-contamination since the shrimp were packed and shipped together. The agency’s warning is a precautionary measure, intended to keep consumers safe while a thorough investigation unfolds.
The saga began when U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents detected Cs-137 in shipping containers at four major ports—Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, and Savannah. The FDA was alerted and promptly tested the detained shipments. Their tests confirmed the presence of Cs-137 in a single sample of breaded shrimp, which prompted a broader review of all products from the same supplier. The agency suspects that unsanitary conditions at the Indonesian processing facility may have contributed to the contamination risk.
“Although the level of Cs-137 found does not present an ‘acute hazard’ to consumers, prolonged consumption could increase the risk of cancer over time,” the FDA explained, as reported by NewsNation. The agency is now working with Indonesian seafood regulatory authorities to pinpoint the source of the contamination and has temporarily restricted imports from PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati pending the outcome of the investigation.
For consumers, the advice is clear: if you have recently purchased any of the recalled Great Value shrimp, you should throw it away or return it to Walmart for a refund. The FDA’s website provides more detailed information and updates as the situation develops.
This incident is a stark reminder of the global complexity of the food supply chain. With seafood traveling thousands of miles from processing plants in Indonesia to supermarket freezers in the United States, even a single lapse in safety protocols can have wide-reaching consequences. The FDA’s swift response—issuing a recall and launching an international investigation—underscores the seriousness with which regulators treat even low-level radioactive contamination in food products.
Walmart’s quick action to pull the product and cooperate with authorities likely helped to limit potential exposure. Meanwhile, the FDA’s ongoing investigation, in partnership with Indonesian officials, aims to determine exactly how the contamination occurred and to prevent similar issues in the future.
For now, shoppers in the affected states are being urged to double-check their freezers and heed the recall notice. While the levels of cesium-137 detected are not considered immediately dangerous, the FDA’s main concern is the potential for long-term health effects if contaminated food is consumed repeatedly over time. As the agency put it, “repeated low dose exposure to Cs-137, including through consuming contaminated food or water over time, can cause an elevated risk of cancer, resulting from damage to DNA within living cells of the body.”
As investigations continue, both consumers and retailers are reminded of the importance of food safety vigilance. The hope is that by acting quickly, authorities have averted a more serious public health issue—and that lessons learned from this episode will help strengthen safeguards for the future.
