Frozen shrimp sold at Walmart pulled from shelves after radiation alert
WASHINGTON, DC — A federal investigation has uncovered potential radioactive contamination in frozen shrimp sold at Walmart stores across 13 states, prompting an urgent warning from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration advising consumers not to eat, sell, or serve the affected products. The shrimp, imported from Indonesian firm PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods), may have been exposed to cesium-137, a radioactive isotope linked to cancer after long-term, repeated exposure.
FDA testing confirmed cesium-137 in one shipment of frozen breaded shrimp that was blocked from entering the U.S., but the agency has flagged other shrimp products processed by the same supplier, including several lots already distributed to Walmart locations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
The affected products are packaged under Walmart’s “Great Value” brand and include the following lots:
- Lot code: 8005540-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Lot code: 8005538-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
- Lot code: 8005539-1, Best by Date: 3/15/2027
While none of the shrimp currently in U.S. commerce has tested positive for cesium-137, FDA said the products were prepared, packed, or held in conditions that may have allowed contamination. The agency has recommended that Walmart recall the identified shrimp lots, which were imported after U.S. Customs and Border Protection first detected cesium-137 in shipping containers from the company.
On August 14, the FDA placed PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati on a new import alert list under chemical contamination restrictions, effectively blocking future shrimp shipments from entering the U.S. until the company resolves the issues that led to the violation.
The confirmed detection of cesium-137—measured at 68.48 Bq/kg, well below the FDA’s intervention threshold of 1200 Bq/kg—was found in a breaded shrimp sample that never reached store shelves. Still, regulators said even low-level radiation exposure over time can raise cancer risks and warrants proactive avoidance of affected products.
Investigators are working with Indonesian seafood authorities and continuing to sample products. FDA emphasized that its actions aim to reduce cumulative exposure to radiation through food and to prevent any potentially contaminated product from slipping through the supply chain.
Key Points
- FDA warns consumers to avoid certain frozen shrimp products sold at Walmart due to potential cesium-137 contamination
- Contaminated shipment from Indonesia was intercepted before reaching U.S. stores, but other shrimp lots from the same supplier have already entered commerce
- PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati has been placed under an import alert blocking further shipments
A radioactive threat in the frozen food aisle has regulators on high alert and Walmart scrambling to respond.