Walmart Recall Radioactive Shrimp: Check Defected Lot Code

In a precautionary move, the FDA has asked consumers to stop eating, selling, or serving certain frozen raw shrimp sold under Walmart’s Great Value label, after traces of the radioactive isotope Cesium-137 (Cs-137) were detected during U.S. Customs inspections, you need to stop and check the lot code immediately—this could be more serious than you think.

What’s Happening?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an urgent “do not eat, sell, or serve” warning for Great Value raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart stores across 13 U.S. states. This comes amid concerns that certain batches may contain Cesium-137 (Cs-137), a radioactive isotope.

What Is Cesium-137?

Cesium-137 is a man-made radioactive isotope formed during nuclear reactions (e.g. reactor operations, weapon tests). Trace amounts exist in the environment, but intentional ingestion from food is rare—and remains a serious safety concern.

The FDA’s intervention level (1,200 Bq/kg) is designed to prevent acute hazards. However, even lower levels over time may increase cancer risk, hence the caution.

How Was the Contamination Detected?

Customs and Border Protection flagged Cs-137 in shipping containers from the Indonesian supplier BMS Foods (PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati) at ports in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and Savannah. The FDA confirmed the presence of the isotope in a sample of breaded shrimp.

Which Products Are Affected?

Here are the specific product identifiers you must check:

These were sold in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.

What Are the Health Risks?

• The amounts of Cs-137 found (~68 Bq/kg) are very low compared to the FDA's Derived Intervention Level (1,200 Bq/kg), which indicates that there is no immediate threat to health. 
• However, it is possible that chronic low-level exposure may increase the chance of cancer due to DNA damage from exposure to ionizing radiation. Therefore, the FDA suggests you be careful and avoid eating contaminated food, especially if you are already consuming some other source of ionizing radiation. 

What Did Walmart & Authorities Do?

• Walmart has removed the contaminated shrimp from shelves and is offering customers full refunds. 
• BMS Foods, the supplier, has been issued an FDA Import Alert to prevent the entry of any further products into the U.S. until the Department determines the issue is resolved. 
• The FDA is also coordinating with Indonesian regulatory agencies to determine the source of the contamination. 

Consumers, distributors, and retailers should not eat, serve or sell impacted lots of Great Value raw frozen shrimp sold at Walmart.

For more information on lot codes, production dates and actions you should take read FDA's advisory. https://t.co/eO87TdXbtx pic.twitter.com/vU1Brqg89Q

— U.S. FDA Human Foods Program (@FDAfood) August 19, 2025

What Should Consumers Do?

• If you bought the shrimp, check your freezer right away. 
• If you have the shrimp with the specified lot serial numbers, dispose of it securely (don't eat it). 
• If you are concerned about the exposure, you might want to contact your health provider for peace of mind.

Consumer Reactions

A user @philportman wrote on X:

"Just checked my freezer and threw out two bags..."

Just checked my freezer and threw out two bags. Radioactive shrimp cocktail wasn't on my weekend menu anyway.

— Phil Portman (@philportman) August 19, 2025