FDA finds radioactive contamination in spices after major shrimp recalls

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week that cesium-137, a radioactive isotope, was detected in a shipment of cloves imported from PT Natural Java Spice of Indonesia, prompting an import alert on all spices from the company as recalls of shrimp linked to the same contamination issue expand.

The finding comes as U.S. Customs and Border Protection flagged cesium-137 in shipments of shrimp from PT Bahari Makmur Sejati, also known as BMS Foods, to multiple U.S. ports. The FDA tested a sample of breaded shrimp and confirmed cesium-137 in that sample. Records show the company has shipped about 84 million pounds (38 million kilograms) of shrimp to U.S. ports this year, accounting for roughly 6% of foreign shrimp imports. The FDA previously blocked import of all spices from PT Natural Java Spice after inspectors detected the contamination in a cloves shipment, following an August import alert on BMS Foods.

What is cesium-137? Cesium-137 is a radioactive isotope produced as a byproduct of nuclear reactions, including weapons testing, reactor operations and accidents. It is found at trace levels around the world in the environment, soils, foods and air.

What have U.S. officials found? Customs officials flagged cesium-137 in shipping containers of shrimp sent by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati to several U.S. ports. The FDA tested a sample of the shrimp and found cesium-137. The company has sent tens of millions of pounds of shrimp to U.S. markets this year, representing a notable share of imports. In addition, this month the FDA detected cesium-137 in one shipment of cloves exported by PT Natural Java Spice, which ships spices to the United States and other countries. Records indicate the company sent about 440,000 pounds (200,000 kilograms) of cloves to the U.S. this year.

What are the health risks? The FDA emphasized that no food that triggered alerts or tested positive has been released for sale in the United States. Still, hundreds of thousands of packages of imported frozen shrimp have been recalled because they may have been produced under conditions that could have allowed contamination. Long-term exposure to cesium-137 could raise the risk of certain cancers, though the detected levels are far below thresholds that would trigger formal health protections. The agency said the immediate risk to consumers remains low, but the situation warrants careful monitoring.

Where did the contamination come from? Officials have not identified a single source for both shrimp and spices. Investigations by the FDA and CBP are ongoing. The two processing facilities connected to the shipments appear to be roughly 500 miles (about 800 kilometers) apart in Indonesia. The International Atomic Energy Agency said it was scrutinizing possible sources such as contaminated scrap metal or other industrial materials near processing sites outside Jakarta. Indonesian nuclear regulators reported detecting the isotope at the same site, but it remains unclear whether there is a shared contamination mechanism for the shrimp and the spices.

Experts cautioned that rare forms of contamination could arise from multiple factors. Steve Biegalski, a nuclear medicine expert at the Georgia Institute of Technology, noted that contamination could stem from recycling old medical equipment that contained cesium-137 or from contaminated transport containers and shared shipping methods. Officials stressed that, at this stage, there is no confirmed singleton source and no immediate public health emergency.

What should consumers do? The FDA urged consumers not to eat or serve shrimp that have been recalled for possible cesium-137 contamination. The agency has announced recalls by several firms since August, with a running list that includes Southwind Foods, Beaver Street Fisheries, AquaStar (USA) Corp, and Lawrence Wholesale (Kroger Brand), including expansions of earlier recalls through September. Consumers who have purchased these products should follow recall notices and discard the affected lots.

The recalls reflect an ongoing regulatory effort to trace and contain a contamination event that appears to span multiple product categories and supply chains. Officials say investigations into the Indonesian suppliers and the broader import chain are continuing, and additional actions could follow depending on findings. While a direct, common source has not been established, authorities say vigilance remains essential as the agencies work to determine how cesium-137 entered these food products and whether any other shipments may be affected.