What’s Happening?

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has warned the public against eating, selling, or serving certain Great Value brand raw frozen shrimp sold through Walmart. This comes after Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, was detected in shipping containers and confirmed in one sample from Indonesian supplier PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods) (source).

Affected Products

The FDA urges caution around the following recalled shrimp products:

• Great Value brand frozen raw shrimp, lot code 8005540-1, Best-by March 15, 2027
• Lot codes 8005538-1 and 8005539-1, same best-by date

These shrimp products were sold across 13 U.S. states including Alabama, Florida, Texas, Ohio, and Pennsylvania (ABC News).

Health Risk & Food Safety

While the detected levels of Cs-137 are below the FDA’s “Derived Intervention Level” and pose no immediate health threat, experts caution that long-term, repeated exposure may increase cancer risks over time (Time).

What Actions Are Being Taken?

• Walmart has issued a recall and advises customers to discard or return the affected shrimp (AP News).
• The FDA has placed BMS Foods on an import alert and is coordinating with U.S. Customs and Indonesian regulators.
• No new contaminated products have entered the U.S. food supply since detection, but earlier shipments did slip through initial inspections.

What You Should Do

If you purchased Great Value frozen shrimp with the above lot codes and best-by dates:

• Do not eat it.
• Dispose of it safely or return it to Walmart for a full refund.
• If concerned about radiation exposure, consult a healthcare provider.