Shrimp With a Side of Radiation? Walmart Gets FDA Alert

Updated On: August 20, 2025.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning this week after detecting radioactive contamination in shrimp products sold at Walmart stores in several states, raising questions about seafood safety and retail oversight in the United States. The agency said routine sampling uncovered traces of cesium-137, a radioactive isotope linked to nuclear accidents, in multiple packages of imported frozen shrimp. While the contamination levels did not immediately meet the threshold for an emergency recall, the FDA advised consumers to avoid eating the affected products until further notice and instructed Walmart to remove them from shelves.
Officials said the shrimp originated from a supplier based in Southeast Asia, though they did not disclose the exact country or facility pending further investigation. The FDA is working with Walmart and state health departments to trace the source and determine whether the contamination was accidental or systemic. Experts note that cesium-137 can enter the food chain through contaminated water, particularly in regions affected by industrial runoff or past nuclear incidents. In humans, long-term exposure has been linked to an increased risk of cancer, making even low-level contamination a serious public health concern.
For Walmart, the warning comes at a delicate time as the company expands its grocery offerings and promotes itself as a low-cost but safe food retailer. The retailer said in a statement that it is cooperating fully with regulators and conducting its own internal testing. “We are taking this matter very seriously and have already pulled the specific shrimp lots identified by the FDA,” the company said. Customers who purchased the products are being offered refunds and advised to discard any remaining packages.
More than 80% of shrimp sold in the United States comes from overseas farms, many of which operate under looser regulatory oversight than domestic fisheries. Consumer advocacy groups, such as Oceana, have long warned that gaps in inspection protocols leave American shoppers vulnerable to contaminated or mislabeled seafood. The radioactive shrimp discovery is the latest in a string of incidents that have fueled calls for tighter import screening.
Health experts stressed that the current risk to consumers remains relatively low, as the contamination was caught during routine checks before widespread illness reports surfaced. Still, they said the finding underscores how dependent the U.S. food system is on global supply chains that are difficult to monitor consistently. Dr. Karen Lopez, a public health professor at the University of California, explained that contaminants like cesium-137 can accumulate in marine life over time. “The concern is not just one meal, but repeated exposure,” she said. “Even small amounts, if consumed regularly, can add up and pose real health risks.”
The FDA’s testing program screens only a fraction of imported seafood shipments each year, making it possible for contaminated products to slip through. In 2024, the agency inspected just under two percent of all seafood imports, relying heavily on risk-based targeting rather than comprehensive screening. Critics argue that this approach is inadequate given the complexity of global supply chains and the difficulty of tracing food products back to their origin.
Environmental groups have seized on the warning as evidence of broader ecological challenges in the world’s oceans. They argue that industrial pollution, runoff, and legacy nuclear contamination are increasingly intersecting with food production. While cesium-137 contamination in seafood is relatively rare, past incidents near Japan’s Fukushima plant have shown how radioactive materials can linger in marine ecosystems for decades.
Regulators now face pressure to provide clearer answers. The FDA said it is expanding testing of shrimp imports and will release updated guidance once the scope of the problem is better understood. In the meantime, Walmart is advising customers who bought frozen shrimp products under its house brands in the last two months to check lot numbers against those listed on the FDA’s advisory page. Any customers with concerns are urged to contact their local health department or Walmart customer service.
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