Dec. 25, 2025 — If shrimp cocktail, shrimp scampi, or a quick freezer-to-pan seafood dinner is part of your holiday week, check your freezer before you cook. A new FDA-posted recall involves about 83,800 bags of frozen raw shrimp that may have been exposed to cesium-137 (Cs‑137), a man-made radioactive isotope. The recalled shrimp was imported from Indonesia and distributed in the U.S. under Market 32 and Waterfront Bistro labels by Direct Source Seafood LLC of Bellevue, Washington, according to federal and company recall notices. [1]
The FDA and the company stress that this recall is tied to the possibility the product “may have been prepared, packed, or held” under conditions that could have led to exposure to very low levels of Cs‑137, and consumers are being told not to eat the affected shrimp. Officials also say no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall. [2]
What’s being recalled: the exact shrimp products, UPC codes, and best-by dates
The recall centers on two frozen raw shrimp products sold through major grocery chains and regional banners. Here’s how to identify them using the details listed in the FDA recall posting:
1) Market 32 Frozen Raw Shrimp (1-lb bags)
- UPC: 0 41735 01358 3
- Best-by dates: 04/22/27, 04/23/27, 04/24/27, 04/26/27, or 04/27/27
- Where sold: Price Chopper stores in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont
- Dates of sale:After July 11, 2025 [3]
2) Waterfront Bistro Frozen Raw Shrimp (2-lb bags)
- UPC: 021130 13224-9
- Best-by dates: APR 25, 2027 or APR 26, 2027
- Where sold:Jewel-Osco, Albertsons, Safeway, and Lucky locations in Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Montana, North Dakota, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming
- Dates of sale:On or after June 30, 2025 [4]
Because many of the packages carry best-by dates in 2027, the shrimp could easily still be in home freezers even if it was purchased months ago—one reason food safety officials are emphasizing label checks now. [5]
Market 32 / Price Chopper also flagged additional shrimp-containing items
Beyond the two frozen raw shrimp bags listed in the FDA recall posting, Market 32/Price Chopper published its own customer-facing recall notice tied to supplier information about possible Cs‑137 exposure before the shrimp reached its warehouse. On the retailer’s recall page, Market 32/Price Chopper listed Market 32 Farm Raised Raw Shrimp 26–30 count (UPC 41735 01358) and also posted multiple additional prepared or ready-to-heat items that appear to contain shrimp (such as stir-fry dishes, entrees, and seafood salad). [6]
Items posted on the Market 32/Price Chopper recall page include (as labeled there):
- Shrimp with Vegetable Stir Fry
- Shrimp Scallop Vegetable Stir Fry
- Flatbread Shrimp Scampi
- Beer Battered Shrimp Entree (and a limited-time platter)
- Italian Seafood Salad
- Pesto Shrimp with Cheese Tortellini
- Shrimp Stir Fry / Shrimp Scallop Stir Fry
- Buffalo Shrimp
- Fried Shrimp Entree
- Fisherman Combo
- Fried Shrimp Roll [7]
If you shop at Market 32/Price Chopper, it’s worth checking not only freezer bags but also any store-prepared items you may have purchased and frozen “for later,” especially around holiday entertaining.
What shoppers should do right now
Federal guidance is straightforward: don’t eat the recalled shrimp.
- Stop using it immediately. If the UPC and best-by date match, do not cook, taste, or serve it. [8]
- Dispose of it or return it for a refund. The FDA recall posting says consumers should discard the product or return it to the place of purchase for a full refund. [9]
- If you bought Market 32/Price Chopper items: the retailer’s recall page says affected products can be returned to a local store for a full refund and provides customer service contact options. [10]
- Questions? The FDA-posted recall notice lists a Direct Source Seafood consumer phone number: 425-455-2291 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Pacific). [11]
The FDA also advises that anyone who suspects exposure to elevated levels of cesium should talk to a healthcare provider—a reminder aimed at reducing anxiety and directing concerns to appropriate medical channels. [12]
Why cesium-137 in shrimp is a big deal—even at “very low” levels
Cesium-137 (Cs‑137) is a man-made radioisotope. The FDA notes that trace amounts can exist in the environment at background levels, but the key concern in food is longer-term, repeated low-dose exposure, which the agency links to an elevated cancer risk due to DNA damage in living cells. [13]
In other words: this isn’t the kind of warning consumers usually see (like salmonella or listeria). It’s about radiological contamination risk and the effort to minimize avoidable exposure through food—especially when products may have been handled or stored under conditions that raise safety concerns. [14]
How risky is it? What the FDA has said about detected levels
A key nuance in this ongoing story: the FDA has repeatedly said that products that tested positive or triggered Cs‑137 alerts have been stopped from entering U.S. commerce. [15]
In its broader advisory on the Indonesia-linked shrimp issue, the FDA reported Cs‑137 detection in a single detained shipment at about 68 Bq/kg—well below the FDA’s Derived Intervention Level (DIL) of 1,200 Bq/kg, a threshold tied to when protective actions may be necessary. At that level, the agency said the product would not pose an acute hazard—but it still framed avoidance as a prudent step to reduce potential long-term exposure. [16]
That same advisory explains why recalls can still happen even when immediate danger is not expected: reducing low-level exposure matters most when it’s repeated over time, and the agency evaluates unexpected findings case-by-case. [17]
The bigger picture: why this recall is tied to a months-long investigation into Indonesian shrimp
This Market 32/Waterfront Bistro recall didn’t appear in a vacuum. It’s part of an FDA-tracked series of 2025 shrimp recalls linked to products processed by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods) in Indonesia. The FDA’s “major product recalls” hub lists multiple company recall announcements connected to this incident across 2025, including the Direct Source Seafood recall dated 12/19/2025. [18]
According to the FDA’s advisory timeline, the situation accelerated after U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) detected Cs‑137 in shipping containers at major U.S. ports (including Los Angeles, Houston, Savannah, and Miami) and alerted the FDA. The FDA then tested product samples and confirmed Cs‑137 in at least one shrimp sample during its investigation, while emphasizing that containers and products that tested positive or triggered alerts were denied entry. [19]
To prevent additional suspect product from entering the country, the FDA also says it placed the Indonesian firm on an import alert related to chemical contamination until the underlying conditions are resolved. [20]
What investigators believe caused the Cs‑137 problem
While recall notices focus on consumer action steps, reporting over the past several months has pulled back the curtain on suspected sources.
- Industry reporting says Indonesian authorities confirmed a likely source connected to PT Peter Metal Technology, described as a steelmaker that imports scrap metal and is located close to the shrimp processor. [21]
- Earlier AP reporting cited international nuclear safety officials describing a scenario where contaminated metal at an industrial site could be linked to Cs‑137 detected at a shrimp processing plant, with the source potentially tied to metal melting or scrap metal handling. [22]
That context matters for consumers because it helps explain why this has become a supply-chain and import-controls story—not just a single brand’s recall.
What to watch next as of Dec. 25, 2025
As of Christmas Day, the most important “next step” is practical: identify affected packages and get them out of kitchens.
But from a news-and-regulatory standpoint, there are several signals to watch in the days ahead:
- FDA updates to its ongoing advisory on Indonesian shrimp and Cs‑137 (the agency notes it may update consumer advice as the investigation continues). [23]
- Additional company recall announcements added to the FDA’s 2025 shrimp recall hub, which is where the agency says related recalls will be posted going forward. [24]
- Retailer-specific recall expansions, like Market 32/Price Chopper’s listing of prepared items that may contain recalled shrimp. [25]
Bottom line
This is a precautionary frozen shrimp recall with unusually high consumer attention because it involves a radioactive isotope rather than a typical foodborne pathogen. The recall applies to Market 32 (1-lb) and Waterfront Bistro (2-lb) frozen raw shrimp sold in 17 states, with best-by dates in 2027—meaning it may still be sitting in many home freezers. Consumers should not eat the shrimp, and should return or dispose of affected products, while watching for any retailer-specific expansions tied to shrimp-containing prepared foods. [26]
References
1. www.fda.gov, 2. www.fda.gov, 3. www.fda.gov, 4. www.fda.gov, 5. www.fda.gov, 6. www.pricechopper.com, 7. www.pricechopper.com, 8. www.fda.gov, 9. www.fda.gov, 10. www.pricechopper.com, 11. www.fda.gov, 12. www.fda.gov, 13. www.fda.gov, 14. www.fda.gov, 15. www.fda.gov, 16. www.fda.gov, 17. www.fda.gov, 18. www.fda.gov, 19. www.fda.gov, 20. www.fda.gov, 21. www.seafoodsource.com, 22. apnews.com, 23. www.fda.gov, 24. www.fda.gov, 25. www.pricechopper.com, 26. www.fda.gov
