Overview

• Kennedy used a giant image from the film Alien during Senate remarks to dramatize risks he linked to recalled imported shrimp and to criticize low seafood inspection rates.
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection first detected cesium-137 in containers tied to Indonesia’s PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, triggering an FDA investigation, an import alert on the processor, and retailer and distributor recalls.
• Recalls have included lots sold under Walmart’s Great Value label and other products identified by companies such as Beaver Street Fisheries, with some items also cited at Kroger locations.
• The detected level referenced in coverage was about 68 Bq/kg—well below the 1,200 Bq/kg federal intervention threshold—and FDA statements say no product that tested positive entered U.S. commerce.
• Policy proposals for tighter import controls, including the Safer Shrimp Imports Act, are drawing attention as FDA and CBP continue their inquiry and coordination with distributors.