Shrimp is one of the most consumed seafood products in the United States, and it is also one of the most frequently recalled. The vast majority of shrimp sold in the U.S. is imported — primarily from farms in Southeast Asia, India, and Latin America — which introduces a range of food safety risks that domestic inspectors cannot always catch before products reach store shelves. There are currently multiple food recalls tracked on Recall Tracker, including shrimp and other seafood products.
This page explains how to check your specific product, why shrimp is recalled, which agencies oversee these recalls, and what to do if your shrimp is affected.
Step 1: Locate the lot code and best-by date.
On frozen shrimp bags, the lot code and best-by or freeze-by date are typically printed on the back or bottom of the bag. For fresh shrimp from a seafood counter, ask for the lot or traceability code from the supplier label.
Step 2: Note the UPC barcode.
The UPC code identifies the specific product, size, and variety. Different count sizes (16/20 count vs. 21/25 count) and preparation styles (raw, cooked, peeled) have different UPCs and may be subject to separate recall notices.
Step 3: Search Recall Tracker.
Go to Recall Tracker and search your brand name or the retailer name on the package. Compare the lot code and best-by date on your product against the affected ranges listed in any recall notices.
Step 4: Use the barcode scanner.
The barcode scanner at /scan lets you scan the UPC on your shrimp package directly to check it against the recall database. This is the fastest way to verify a specific product.
Step 5: Set up brand alerts.
Visit brands and follow your shrimp supplier or retailer brand to receive automatic notifications if future recalls are issued for products you buy.
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has primary jurisdiction over shrimp recalls. Seafood — including shrimp — is regulated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and the FDA's Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) regulations for seafood processors. The FDA conducts import inspections at ports of entry, samples imported shrimp for antibiotic residues and contaminants, and works with importers and domestic processors on voluntary or mandatory recalls. See the FDA agency page for more on how FDA recall authority works.
USDA (Food Safety and Inspection Service) does not typically regulate plain shrimp, but may be involved when shrimp is used as an ingredient in a meat or poultry product — for example, a seafood and chicken stir-fry sold as a processed product.
One of the most common reasons for shrimp recalls is the detection of antibiotic residues that are not approved for use in seafood sold in the United States. Farmed shrimp operations in some countries have historically used antibiotics such as nitrofurans, chloramphenicol, and fluoroquinolones to prevent disease in high-density aquaculture environments. These drugs are banned from use in seafood destined for U.S. markets because of concerns about antibiotic resistance and potential toxicity.
The FDA's Import Alert system flags repeat violators, and import refusals for antibiotic-contaminated shrimp from certain countries and suppliers are a recurring pattern. Consumers generally cannot detect antibiotic contamination by appearance, smell, or taste — testing is required.
Salmonella contamination in shrimp — particularly raw, frozen shrimp — has prompted multiple recalls over the years. Shrimp can become contaminated during aquaculture through water, feed, or processing environments. Raw shrimp is often eaten after only brief cooking, or is used in dishes where cross-contamination of cutting boards and utensils can spread bacteria to other foods.
Symptoms of salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps beginning 6 hours to 6 days after eating contaminated food. Illness typically lasts 4–7 days. Young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals face higher risk of severe illness requiring hospitalization.
Sulfites are commonly added to shrimp during processing to prevent melanosis, a natural darkening that occurs after harvest and does not affect safety but reduces marketability. When sulfites are added above certain thresholds, they must be declared on the label as a potential allergen. Sulfite sensitivity affects a meaningful portion of the population — particularly those with asthma — and undeclared sulfites can trigger serious reactions.
Recalls for undeclared sulfites in shrimp are among the most common seafood allergen recalls. They often result from labeling errors, production changes, or imported products that used sulfite treatments not disclosed in the importer's documentation.
Seafood fraud — including the mislabeling of shrimp species or country of origin — has been documented in the U.S. market. While many mislabeling cases do not trigger FDA recalls, they can become recall events when a product labeled as one species contains another that has triggered an import alert, or when country-of-origin mislabeling conceals sourcing from a supplier on an FDA import alert. Consumers purchasing shrimp for species-specific reasons, such as wild-caught Gulf shrimp, may be receiving a different product than labeled.
Stop consuming it immediately. Remove the shrimp from use, from the freezer, and do not serve it to household members or guests.
Check for symptoms. Identify anyone who has eaten the shrimp and within what timeframe. Note any gastrointestinal symptoms — nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, or fever — that could indicate salmonella infection.
Seek medical care if symptomatic. If symptoms are severe — bloody diarrhea, high fever, or signs of dehydration — seek prompt medical attention. Antibiotic residue reactions are less predictable; if you notice unusual symptoms after eating shrimp, discuss them with a healthcare provider.
Keep the packaging. Save the bag with the lot code, best-by date, and UPC visible. You will need this for a refund and for any healthcare provider who evaluates you.
Return or dispose of the product. Most recalls allow return to the place of purchase for a full refund. If disposal is recommended, seal the product in a bag before placing in a covered trash container.
Report illness. If you became ill, report it to the FDA at fda.gov/safety/medwatch and to your state health department. Consumer reports help investigators identify the scope of an outbreak.
Not necessarily. Frozen shrimp can still contain salmonella, antibiotic residues, and undeclared sulfites. Freezing does not eliminate bacteria or chemical residues. Most recalled shrimp in the U.S. is frozen, precisely because frozen products have longer distribution windows and can spread more widely before a problem is detected.
No. Cooking will kill salmonella, but it does not eliminate antibiotic residues or chemical contaminants. For allergen-related recalls — undeclared sulfites — cooking does not help at all. Dispose of recalled shrimp rather than attempting to make it safe through cooking.
Check the label for a country of origin statement, which is required on packaged seafood under COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) rules. Most shrimp sold in grocery stores in the U.S. is imported. If the packaging says "Product of USA" or "Wild-caught Gulf shrimp," it is likely domestic, though mislabeling does occur.
Possibly. Restaurants purchase shrimp through food service distributors, and if a recall involves a supplier that sells to food service, restaurants may unknowingly be serving affected product. Recalls affecting restaurant supply chains are typically communicated through the food service distributor. If you are concerned after eating shrimp at a restaurant, note the date, location, and dish, and contact your local health department if you develop symptoms.
Search all food recalls to check your specific brand and product, and browse food brands to set up automatic alerts for shrimp suppliers you purchase from regularly. You can also view recall statistics by category to understand seafood recall trends over time. As of {{CURRENT_DATE}}, Recall Tracker is actively monitoring recalls from FDA, USDA, and seven additional agencies.
Check the package for the brand name, product name, UPC, lot code, and best-by or expiration date, then compare those details against current alerts. If you still have the packaging, you can use RecallTracker’s barcode scanner at /scan for a faster match, or search manually by company at /brands. Recalls often apply only to specific lots, not every shrimp product from the same brand.
Shrimp recalls commonly involve salmonella, listeria concerns, undeclared sulfites, foreign material, and labeling errors such as undeclared allergens. Imported shrimp can also be stopped or flagged over banned antibiotic residues, though those issues do not always become consumer-facing recalls. RecallTracker’s /statistics page helps show how often seafood recalls happen and which causes appear most often.
Yes. Frozen shrimp is recalled regularly because contamination and labeling problems can affect raw, cooked, peeled, breaded, or value-pack products just as easily as fresh shrimp. Keep the outer bag or box when possible, since the lot code and establishment details are usually printed there and can be checked quickly through /scan.
If the recall involves bacteria such as salmonella or listeria, monitor for symptoms like diarrhea, fever, vomiting, or severe stomach cramps, especially in children, older adults, pregnant people, and anyone immunocompromised. Save any remaining product and packaging, and follow the recall notice for disposal or refund instructions. If you want faster alerts for new seafood recalls and saved product monitoring, Premium options are listed at /pricing.
Start with the manufacturer or store label, then search the brand at /brands and compare the lot number, package size, and sell-by date exactly. A product is usually included only when all listed identifiers match the recall notice. If you buy shrimp often, Premium at /pricing can be useful for tracking multiple products without rechecking each package manually.