Great American Shrimp Recall Lawsuit | 2026 Latest Updates

Southwind Foods, LLC of Carson, California recalled Great American frozen shrimp along with four sibling brands. The company announced the recall on August 21, 2025. It has updated the recall more than once since then, most recently in September 2025. The shrimp may carry radionuclide contamination from Cesium-137. Six Great American products are affected, each identified by its own UPC and lot code. Southwind Foods sold the shrimp nationwide through September 16, 2025. Consumers should not eat recalled Great American shrimp. They should throw it away or return it for a refund. The FDA’s investigation remains ongoing, and the recall has not been closed.

Latest Great American Shrimp Recall Updates

September 23, 2025: FDA Widens Recall Details

On September 23, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Southwind Foods, LLC issued an update to the ongoing recall [1]. The update covered Great American shrimp and four other brands, widening the distribution window to June 24 through September 16, 2025, and expanding coverage to 34 states, up from nine originally. No illnesses have been reported to date.

August 29, 2025: Southwind Foods Expands the Recall

On August 29, 2025, Southwind Foods, LLC expanded its recall to add more lot codes and UPC numbers [2]. The expansion covered all five recalled brands, Great American among them. A new Great American stock-keeping unit, a 26/30-count raw shrimp bag, joined the list with its own lot code. No illnesses had been reported at that point in the recall.

August 21, 2025: Southwind Foods Announces the Recall

Southwind Foods, LLC announced a voluntary recall of frozen shrimp on August 21, 2025 [3]. The recall covered five brands, including Great American shrimp. The company took the action after possible radionuclide contamination from Cesium-137 was found. The shrimp had been processed by an Indonesian supplier under FDA scrutiny. No illnesses were reported at the time of the announcement.

August 19, 2025: FDA Discloses Cesium-137 Investigation

On August 19, 2025, the FDA disclosed it was investigating possible Cesium-137 contamination in imported frozen shrimp. Customs officers had detected the contamination at four U.S. ports. The shrimp came from an Indonesian processor, PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati, doing business as BMS Foods. Southwind Foods recalled its Great American shrimp two days later.

What Is Cesium-137?

Cesium-137, or Cs-137, is a man-made radioactive form of the element cesium, according to the FDA [4]. Traces of Cs-137 are widespread and can be present in the environment at background levels. Higher levels can appear in water or food grown, raised, or produced in areas with environmental contamination. The FDA found possible Cesium-137 contamination in shrimp from an Indonesian processor, leading to the Southwind Foods recall of Great American shrimp.

Which Great American Shrimp Are Affected?

Six Great American shrimp products, spanning raw and cooked shrimp bags plus one Hawaii-only skewer item, are affected by the recall, identified by UPC code, lot number, and best-by date:

• Frozen Raw Shrimp 16/20, 2-lb bag – UPC 829944010612, lot codes 125143 and 17999, best by May 8, 2027
• Frozen Raw Shrimp 71/90, 2-lb bag – UPC 829944010698, lot codes 128267 and 18391
• Frozen Cooked Shrimp Meat, 1-lb bag – UPC 829944092540, lot codes 134010 and 19266, best by June 17, 2027
• Frozen Cooked Shrimp 41/60, 2-lb bag – UPC 829944012173, lot codes 128275 and 18399, best by June 12, 2027
• Frozen Raw Shrimp 26/30, 2-lb bag – UPC 829944010636, lot code 15855, best by June 9, 2027, added in the August 29, 2025 expansion per the Defense Commissary Agency’s notice [5]
• In Hawaii, Great American Seafood Import Co. Frozen Raw Shrimp Skewers 16/20, 2-lb bag – UPC 829944002372, reference numbers 16379 and 16380, per the Hawaii Department of Health’s alert [6]

Each identifier appears on the package label near the UPC barcode. Consumers should check every bag of Great American shrimp in their freezer against this list.

Why Was Great American Shrimp Recalled?

Great American shrimp was recalled because of possible radionuclide contamination from Cesium-137. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration traced the contamination to frozen shrimp and shipping containers processed by BMS Foods in Indonesia. FDA investigators found the shrimp appeared to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions that could introduce contamination. Those conditions may have let Cesium-137 reach the product before it reached U.S. retailers. FDA added the Indonesian processor to import alert IA 99-51 for chemical contamination. The alert blocks the processor’s shipments from entering the United States until it resolves the conditions that caused the contamination.

Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses

No illnesses connected to the recalled Great American shrimp have been reported in any state where it was sold. Southwind Foods and the FDA had confirmed no reports as of the most recent update, September 23, 2025. Reports of illness are not proof that the shrimp caused a specific injury. Anyone who feels sick after eating Great American shrimp should tell a doctor right away and report it to the FDA. The same contamination event that led to this recall also caused separate recalls of other shrimp brands, covered in more detail in Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions below.

What Should Consumers Do?

Anyone who bought or still has recalled Great American shrimp sitting in their freezer at home should take the following steps:

1. Stop eating any Great American shrimp matching the recalled UPC codes or lot numbers.
2. Check the package against the list above, including the size, UPC, and lot code.
3. Throw the shrimp away, or return it to the store for a full refund.
4. Call Southwind Foods, LLC at 1-323-262-8222 (Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Pacific time) with questions, or report a problem to the FDA online through its consumer reporting form [7].
5. Watch for signs of long-term, repeated exposure to Cesium-137, which can raise cancer risk over time.
6. Talk to a healthcare provider if you suspect you were exposed to elevated levels of cesium.

Other Recalls, Warnings, or International Actions

The same Cesium-137 contamination event, traced to processor PT. Bahari Makmur Sejati (BMS Foods) of Indonesia, led to recalls beyond Southwind Foods. Beaver Street Fisheries recalled Great Value shrimp sold at Walmart, and AquaStar (USA) Corp recalled its own Kroger Mercado shrimp separately, per the FDA’s list of related recalls [8]. Lawrence Wholesale, Sea Port Products, and Direct Source Seafood each recalled their own shrimp brands through December 2025. None of these separate recalls involves Great American shrimp. Readers who want more detail on the wider event can see the shrimp recall lawsuit page for the full timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Great American Shrimp Safe to Eat?

Shrimp from the recalled Great American lots may not be safe to eat due to possible Cesium-137 contamination. No Great American-specific test level is reported. A separate, detained shipment tested at about 68 becquerels per kilogram, versus FDA’s 1,200-becquerel action level.

Was a Recall Number Assigned to the Great American Shrimp Recall?

No recall or campaign number was assigned to the Great American shrimp recall. None of the FDA’s three notices for this recall assigns one, and no number appears anywhere in the agency’s postings.

Can Exposure to the Recalled Shrimp Cause Symptoms Right Away?

Exposure to the recalled shrimp would not likely cause symptoms right away, based on FDA’s test of a separate detained shipment below its action threshold. The health concern is a long-term cancer risk from repeated low-dose exposure, so anyone worried should talk to a healthcare provider.

Is There a Lawsuit over the Great American Shrimp Recall?

No lawsuit or multidistrict litigation is specific to Great American shrimp at this time. A related suit against a different Southwind Foods brand was filed and, according to a December 8, 2025 news report, was voluntarily dismissed.

Is the Great American Shrimp Recall Still Active?

Yes, the Great American shrimp recall remains active. In its September 25, 2025 update, the FDA still described its investigation as ongoing, and no closure notice has been issued for the recall since then.

When Were the Other Shrimp Brands Recalled?

The other shrimp brands tied to this event were recalled on different dates. Beaver Street Fisheries recalled its Great Value shrimp on August 22, 2025, and Direct Source Seafood issued the last related recall on December 19, 2025.

References

1. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/updated-release-southwind-foods-llc-recalls-frozen-shrimp-because-possible-health-risk-0
2. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/updated-release-southwind-foods-llc-recalls-frozen-shrimp-because-possible-health-risk
3. https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/southwind-foods-llc-recalls-frozen-shrimp-because-possible-health-risk
4. https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-public-not-eat-sell-or-serve-certain-imported-frozen-shrimp-indonesian-firm
5. https://corp.commissaries.com/our-agency/newsroom/news-releases/southwind-foods-llc-expands-recall-frozen-shrimp-due-possible
6. https://health.hawaii.gov/news/newsroom/doh-alerts-public-about-southwind-foods-llc-recall-of-frozen-shrimp-due-to-possible-cesium-137-contamination/
7. https://www.fda.gov/safety/report-problem-fda
8. https://www.fda.gov/safety/major-product-recalls/2025-recalls-frozen-shrimp-products-associated-cesium-137-contamination-pt-bahari-makmur-sejati-due