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Sen. John Kennedy’s ‘Alien’ Prop Tries to Spotlight FDA Shrimp Recalls Over Cesium-137

Regulators say low cesium-137 detections prompted Class II recalls with no immediate health risk.

Image: John Kennedy
Stock Image: An assortment of frozen, headless shrimps, neatly packaged and priced at Yokohamabashi Market. Several types of shrimp, including some imported from India, are presented, each set against a white foam tray and wrapped in clear plastic to maintain freshness.
Senator John Kennedy, a Republican from Louisiana, referred to the movie Alien while making his point about radioactive shrimp.

Overview

  • On the Senate floor, Kennedy held up an Alien chestburster image and warned imported frozen shrimp could make people “look like this” or “grow an extra ear.”
  • The FDA in August urged consumers to discard certain shrimp linked to Indonesian processor PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, issuing Class II recalls involving Walmart, Kroger/AquaStar, Beaver Street Fisheries and Southwind Foods.
  • The agency says no product that tested positive for cesium-137 entered U.S. commerce, and one measured level around 68 Bq/kg is far below the ~1,200 Bq/kg federal intervention threshold, with concerns centered on repeated exposure over time.
  • Company and FDA notices detail 33,164 pounds recalled by Beaver Street Fisheries and nearly 45,000 packages tied to Kroger and AquaStar products.
  • Kennedy criticized federal inspection coverage, claiming NOAA checks only about 1–2% of foreign seafood, as the FDA and CBP continue their investigation and tracing of shipments.