First Use of FDA's FSMA Food Certificate Authority

Neal Fortin<$author.email> - October 06, 2025

Cesium-137 was detected in multiple shipments of shrimp and cloves. Link to the FDA's alert and report here.

Beginning October 31, 2025, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will require import certification for certain shrimp and spices from Indonesia. This is the agency’s first use of its certification authority granted by the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), as established in Section 801(q) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).

The certification requirement applies to products from the Island of Java and Lampung Province on Sumatra due to contamination with the radioactive isotope Cesium-137 detected in multiple shipments of shrimp and cloves.

Read the FDA safety alert on radioactive shrimp here: https://www.fda.gov/food/alerts-advisories-safety-information/fda-advises-public-n[…]at-sell-or-serve-certain-imported-frozen-shrimp-indonesian-firm

Read the FDA report on its response here: https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/fda-response-imported-foods-potentially-contaminated-cesium-137

Learn about the laws that govern food imports with IFLR graduate courses, particularly:

Disclaimer.

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