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After radioactive contamination, the US FDA has imposed new restrictions on Indonesian shrimp and spices

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced new guidelines for the FDA.

Import certification

After radioactive contamination was detected, there are now restrictions on the importation of shrimp and spices from Indonesia.

The agency announced on its website, Saturday morning, Indonesian Time, that the certification requirements for imports from certain areas of Indonesia will be implemented starting October 31, 2025.

A third-party accredited auditor must verify that the firms listed on the Red List with Caesium137 contamination are in compliance.

The firms will continue to be restricted and must provide the information listed under the yellow list.

The FDA requires that all companies on the yellow list, which covers certain foods contaminated with Caesium-137, obtain a shipment certification from a designated entity. This must be an Indonesian agency or representative.

According to the FDA website, Caesium-137 is a radionuclide that has been found in the environment as a result of nuclear accidents and testing such as Chernobyl.

Indonesia has no nuclear weapons nor nuclear power plants.

In August, the FDA issued an advisory informing consumers, sellers, and distributors in the U.S. that frozen shrimp produced by PT Bahari Makmur Sejati was contaminated with Caesium 137.

The shrimp were processed in an industrial estate close to Jakarta, which was later found contaminated by the radioactive element. Indonesia's Nuclear Agency is now seeking to clean up this area.

The size of the affected area.

Bara Hasibuan is a spokesperson in charge of the investigation. She said: "We only received the report a few hours ago. We need time to determine what actions are needed.

(source: Reuters)