The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just hit us with a warning nobody saw coming — radioactive shrimp. According to the agency, certain frozen shrimp sold at Walmart under the Great Value brand could pose serious health risks.
These shrimp were shipped to Walmart stores across multiple states, including Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia.
If this story sounds wild, that’s because it is. But it’s real. The FDA has confirmed traces of Cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, were detected in shipping containers flagged by U.S. Customs & Border Protection at major U.S. ports like Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami.
For context, Cesium-137 doesn’t naturally exist — it’s created during nuclear reactions. And while small traces can be found in soil and air due to global fallout, finding it in food — especially something like shrimp — is a whole other problem.
Product Codes for the Affected Shrimp
If you’ve got shrimp sitting in your freezer, here’s exactly what you need to look for:
Great Value frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005540-1; Best by Date: 3/15/2027
Great Value frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005538-1; Best by Date: 3/15/2027
Great Value frozen raw shrimp, lot code: 8005539-1; Best by Date: 3/15/2027
The FDA confirmed that samples from these shipments tested positive for Cs-137.
“All containers and products testing positive or raising alerts for Cs-137 have been blocked from entering the country,” the FDA said in their official statement.
FDA Response and Ongoing Investigation
The FDA says it’s working hand-in-hand with Customs & Border Protection (CBP) and even Indonesia’s seafood regulators to figure out how this radioactive contamination slipped through in the first place.
The agency made it clear that any container showing signs of Cs-137 won’t make it onto U.S. shelves. Still, Walmart did receive shrimp shipments after the initial contamination was flagged, but those particular loads reportedly tested clean.
This means not every shrimp bag in Walmart is bad — but if you’ve got one of the listed lot codes, don’t even think twice. Throw it out.