You’re standing in the kitchen, bag of frozen shrimp in hand, wondering if your scampi is about to become a medical emergency. It’s a valid fear. When news breaks about which Walmart shrimp is recalled, the information usually travels in a messy blur of social media headlines and half-finished news snippets. Nobody wants to deal with Salmonella. It’s a nasty, gut-wrenching experience that can sideline a healthy adult for a week and put a child or elderly relative in the hospital.
The reality of food safety in 2026 is that supply chains are massive. Walmart, being the retail giant it is, sources from global suppliers, meaning a single contamination event at a processing plant in Southeast Asia or a packing facility in the Gulf can trigger a massive ripple effect across thousands of stores.
Most people assume all shrimp at Walmart comes from one place. It doesn't. You have the Great Value brand, the Marketside label, and various third-party brands like C.P. Prima or Aqua Star. Understanding which Walmart shrimp is recalled requires looking past the big blue logo and checking the specific lot codes and "best by" dates stamped in faint, ink-jet lettering on the back of the bag.
The major players in recent shrimp safety alerts
The most significant recent activity involving Walmart shrimp centers around frozen, cooked, peeled, and deveined products. These are the bags people love because the work is already done. You just thaw and toss them into a salad or a shrimp cocktail. But because these are "ready-to-eat," they are high-risk. If they weren't heated to the proper internal temperature during the initial processing, or if they were cross-contaminated after cooking but before bagging, they become a vessel for bacteria.
Avanti Frozen Foods has historically been a name linked to these recalls. In previous major actions, which still resonate in how the FDA monitors Walmart's inventory today, millions of pounds of frozen shrimp were pulled because of potential Salmonella contamination. This included various sizes of shrimp—from the tiny salad-sized ones to the jumbo prawns.
Basically, the recall wasn't just about one specific bag size. It spanned 10-ounce, 12-ounce, 1-pound, and even the 2-pound bags. If you have Great Value cooked shrimp in your freezer that has been sitting there for a while, you aren't looking for a "recalled" sticker. You’re looking for a specific window of production dates.
Why Salmonella is the primary culprit
When we talk about which Walmart shrimp is recalled, we are almost always talking about Salmonella. Why? Because shrimp farming often happens in high-density ponds. If the water quality isn't perfectly managed, or if the runoff from nearby farms enters the environment, the bacteria find a home.
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The FDA doesn't play around with this. They use a process called Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) to link the bacteria found in a sick patient to the bacteria found in a specific processing plant. It’s like DNA testing for food poisoning. Once that link is made, the recall happens fast.
Symptoms usually kick in between six hours and six days after eating. You'll know it. Fever, diarrhea, and stomach cramps are the hallmark signs. Most people recover without treatment, but for some, the diarrhea is so severe that they need to be hospitalized. If the infection spreads from the intestines to the bloodstream, it can be life-threatening. This is why checking your freezer isn't just "being extra"—it’s essential.
How to identify the recalled Great Value bags
You've got a bag. You’re looking at it. What now?
First, flip it over. Look for the "Best If Used By" date. In the most recent major alerts concerning Walmart's house brands, the dates often fall within a specific two-year window. For example, products with "Best By" dates ranging from late 2024 through early 2026 have been the focus of various rolling investigations.
Don't just look at the date, though. Look for the Product Code.
- Great Value Cooked Shrimp (Peeled and Deveined): Check for codes starting with numbers like 001 or 002.
- Tail-on vs. Tail-off: Both have been affected in the past. Don't assume that because your shrimp has the tail removed, it's "cleaner."
- Marketside Brand: This is Walmart’s "premium" house brand. It is often processed in the same facilities as Great Value. If one is recalled, the other often follows.
If you see a lot code that matches the FDA's current list, do not open the bag. Even if you cook it again, you might not kill all the toxins, and cross-contamination in your kitchen (from the bag touching the counter) is a huge risk.
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The myth of "cooking it away"
I've heard people say, "I'll just fry the hell out of it, and it'll be fine."
Honestly? That’s a dangerous game. While heat kills Salmonella, the "ready-to-eat" nature of recalled Walmart shrimp means most people aren't cooking it to 165°F. They are thawing it and eating it cold. Even if you do plan to sauté it, the act of opening a contaminated bag can spread bacteria to your hands, your faucet, and your cutting board.
Once Salmonella is in your kitchen, it's a hitchhiker. It moves. You touch the bag, then you touch the fridge handle. Now your fridge handle is a biohazard. This is why the CDC and FDA advise throwing the product away immediately or returning it to the store for a refund—but they actually prefer you just trash it to avoid further exposure.
What about raw shrimp?
Usually, when people ask which Walmart shrimp is recalled, they are worried about the cooked stuff. Raw shrimp is a different story. Because the consumer is expected to cook raw shrimp, the safety standards at the packaging level are slightly different.
However, that doesn't mean raw shrimp is always safe. There have been instances where raw shrimp from Walmart was pulled due to high levels of antibiotic residues. In some international shrimp farms, farmers use antibiotics to keep the shrimp alive in overcrowded ponds. These chemicals aren't allowed in the US food supply at certain levels.
If you're buying the Great Value Raw Frozen Shrimp, you're looking for a different set of recall notices—usually centered around "unapproved veterinary drug residues." It won't give you immediate food poisoning like Salmonella, but it’s not something you want in your body long-term.
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How Walmart handles the removal process
Walmart is actually pretty efficient at this. When a recall is issued, their system "locks" the UPC at the register. If a cashier tries to scan a bag of recalled shrimp, the register will literally stop the sale.
But this only helps if you’re buying it today. It doesn't help with the bag that’s been buried under a box of frozen waffles since last November. Walmart also uses its app to notify customers. If you have a Walmart account and bought the recalled item using your linked card or the app, check your email. They frequently send out direct alerts to the specific customers who purchased the affected lot numbers. It's one of the few times that "big data" actually works in your favor.
Checking the FDA database like a pro
If you’re still unsure, you shouldn't rely on a Facebook post from your aunt. Go to the source. The FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page is the gold standard.
- Search "Shrimp."
- Filter by "Walmart" or the parent company "Avanti" or "Kader Exports."
- Match the GTIN (Global Trade Item Number) on your bag to the list.
The GTIN is that long number under the barcode. If those numbers match, you're holding a recalled item. Period. No ambiguity.
What to do if you’ve already eaten it
First, don't panic. Not every shrimp in a recalled bag is necessarily contaminated. Recalls are often "precautionary" because the bacteria was found in the environment where the shrimp was packed, not necessarily on every single piece of seafood.
Monitor yourself for the next 72 hours. If you start feeling the "stomach flu," call your doctor. Tell them specifically that you ate shrimp that was later identified as part of a recall. This helps them order the right tests. A standard "stomach bug" diagnosis might miss Salmonella if they don't specifically culture for it.
Immediate Action Steps
- Check the bag: Locate the "Best By" date and Lot Code on the back of any Great Value or Marketside shrimp.
- Do not taste-test: You cannot smell or see Salmonella.
- Double-bag it: If you find a match, put the bag inside another plastic bag, tie it tight, and throw it in an outdoor trash can.
- Sanitize: Use a bleach solution or a high-strength kitchen cleaner on any surface the bag or the shrimp touched. Wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds.
- Refunds: You don't actually need the physical bag to get a refund in many cases if you have your receipt on the Walmart app. Save yourself the trip with the "hot" product and just use the app's customer service feature.
The landscape of food safety is always shifting. While the specific bags of which Walmart shrimp is recalled change from year to year, the brand names involved—Great Value, Marketside, and frozen imports from India or Thailand—remain the primary areas to watch. Stay diligent, check your codes, and when in doubt, throw it out. Your health is worth more than a $12 bag of seafood.
Log into your Walmart account and check your "Purchase History" for any "Safety Alert" banners that may have appeared over the last six months. This is the fastest way to see if your specific household is at risk. If you see a notification, follow the prompts for a digital refund and discard the product immediately. For those without an account, cross-reference your freezer stock with the FDA’s official "Enforcement Report" which provides the most granular data on distribution patterns and specific retail locations affected by the latest shrimp recalls.