{"id":7418,"date":"2026-03-16T20:03:56","date_gmt":"2026-03-17T01:03:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/?p=7418"},"modified":"2026-03-16T20:29:44","modified_gmt":"2026-03-17T01:29:44","slug":"aqua-star-sued-for-deceptive-marketing-of-shrimp-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/aqua-star-sued-for-deceptive-marketing-of-shrimp-products\/","title":{"rendered":"Aqua Star Sued For Deceptive Marketing of Shrimp Products"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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WASHINGTON D.C., March 15, 2026 \u2014 Nonprofits Toxin Free USA (TFUSA) and Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL) filed a consumer protection lawsuit against Aqua Star Corp., for false and deceptive marketing of its shrimp products. While Aqua Star claims that its shrimp products are \u201cpure,\u201d \u201csustainable,\u201d and \u201cresponsible,\u201d in reality they may be tainted by antibiotics and, possibly, radioactive isotopes; they are produced under exploitative labor conditions, involving a high risk of forced labor; and they cause environmental harm. Aqua Star is a major seller of shrimp in the United States and sells its shrimp throughout the United States and Washington, D.C., including Target, Giant, Balducci\u2019s, Safeway, Save A Lot, Harris Teeter, and Kroger.

Aqua Star features the words \u201cResponsibly & Naturally Farmed\u201d alongside a \u201cSeafood Forever | Responsibly Sourced\u201d logo prominently on the front of its shrimp packages. The company also goes to great lengths on its website to convince consumers its seafood is sourced in an ethical, environmentally sound and socially conscious manner throughout its supply chain, and that its shrimp is pure, healthy, and nutritious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aqua Star claims, \u201cWe are dedicated to the long-term health of the local environments and economies in which we operate\u2014and to the well-being of the people who depend on them. Our Seafood Forever\u2122 program is based on four pillars we view as critical to the long-term health of our people and our planet: Responsibility, Traceability, Social Responsibility, and Food Safety.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite marketing its shrimp as \u201cpure\u201d and \u201chealthy,\u201d the company makes no mention of the potential presence of radioactive isotopes and antibiotics in its shrimp. In 2025, there were multiple recalls of Aqua Star shrimp products due to possible contamination<\/a> with the man-made radioisotope of Cesium-137, which can elevate a person\u2019s risk of developing cancer and cause other serious health ailments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also in 2025, the U.S. FDA refused entry for shrimp from one of Aqua Star\u2019s suppliers due to contamination with nitrofurans, antibiotics, and\/or veterinary drug residues. Because the FDA tests only 0.1% of all shrimp imports for veterinary drug residues, the true scale of antibiotic residues in Aqua Star\u2019s shrimp may be significantly underreported, posing an ongoing risk to consumers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Health experts have been sounding the alarm that the overuse of medically important antibiotics in animal factory farms is leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, endangering public health. Industrial aquaculture farms employ the same practices as terrestrial factory farms\u2014animals are crowded so densely that antibiotic use is necessary in attempts to control the spread of disease among the animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A peer-reviewed study<\/a> published in March 2026, in the journal Nature Medicine<\/em>, found that a single course of antibiotics could disrupt the gut microbiome for years. And a groundbreaking 2025 study<\/a> identified imported shrimp as a vector spreading bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin. The researchers found no similar harm posed by U.S.-produced shrimp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShrimp sourced from farms that are known to use antibiotics in production, and found to be contaminated with Cesium-137, are in no way shape or form \u2018healthy\u2019.  Additionally, if shoppers were aware that Aqua Star\u2019s \u2018responsibly sourced\u2019 shrimp come from filthy farms and are processed in filthy packing facilities, they wouldn\u2019t put them in their grocery carts. The misleading marketing must stop,\u201d said Diana Reeves, executive director of TFUSA.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch (\u201cSeafood Watch\u201d) warns consumers to avoid whiteleg shrimp farmed in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Vietnam due to a \u201chigh risk to the environment.\u201d There are concerns that shrimp facilities in these countries are not properly managing effluent discharge; failing to implement and enforce regulations; and struggling to implement or enforce effective chemical regulations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aqua Star sources a significant amount of its shrimp from India, Indonesia, and Vietnam. Shrimp facilities in these countries are far from environmentally sound or respectful of local communities. For example, Indian shrimp hatcheries and shrimp farms have taken over coastal shorelines, adversely affecting marine diversity, native fishermen, farmers, and local communities. These facilities release effluents into local waterways, polluting freshwater systems and coastal waters, reducing wild fish populations, and threatening the economic survival of traditional fishing communities. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A three-year investigation<\/a> by Corporate Accountability Lab, which involved more than 150 worker interviews across India’s shrimp industry, found pervasive labor abuses \u2014 including at Nekkanti Sea Foods, a supplier linked to Aqua Star. According to the report, Nekkanti workers were reportedly paid less than half a living wage, housed in overcrowded, unsanitary company-controlled facilities with restricted freedom of movement, and required to work without adequate protective gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Migrant workers, especially women, who live in Nekkanti\u2019s company-provided housing experienced restricted freedom of movement. Workers reported being allowed to leave the facilities only once a week or even once a month, with guards monitoring the on-site facilities. Workers have also described practices consistent with debt bondage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By late 2024, U.S. government agencies had reached similarly troubling conclusions. The Department of Labor added Indian shrimp to its official List of Goods Produced by Forced Labor<\/a> and the State Department flagged indicators of forced labor at Indian shrimp facilities in its annual Trafficking in Persons Report. Concerns extend to Indonesia as well, where Aqua Star sources from major exporters whose farms rely on informal employment arrangements that researchers say increase the risk of exploitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Shrimp supply chains are incredibly complex, with exploitative labor practices found in the major shrimp supplying countries,” stated Allie Brudney, an attorney at Corporate Accountability Lab. “Aqua Star not only sources from the countries, but from companies named in reports on forced labor. This case asks whether they should be allowed to market such shrimp as socially responsible under D.C. law.”<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The public interest nonprofits are seeking no monetary damages\u2014only an end to the deceptive marketing and advertising of Aqua Star\u2019s shrimp products.

The lawsuit was filed under the D.C. Consumer Protection Procedures Act. Plaintiffs are represented by Richman Law & Policy<\/a>.

Read the full Complaint HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the Press Fact Sheet HERE<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

###<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GMO\/Toxin Free USA<\/strong> is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advocating for a clean, healthy food system and environment, non-toxic consumer products, and educating consumers about the hazards of GMOs, pesticides and other toxins. toxinfreeusa.org
<\/strong>
<\/strong><\/a>Corporate Accountability Lab<\/strong> is an independent non-profit organization, with a mission to unleash the creative potential of the law to protect people and the planet from corporate abuse. CAL deploys innovative legal strategies to combat egregious abuses by companies operating in the United States and abroad. corpaccountabilitylab.org

<\/a>Press inquiries contact:

Allie Brudney, Corporate Accountability Lab
Phone: 773.420.7725
Email: allie@corpaccountabilitylab.org

<\/strong><\/a>Luan Van Le, GMO\/Toxin Free USA
Phone: 347.921.1466
Email: info@gmofreeusa.org<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WASHINGTON D.C., March 15, 2026 \u2014 Nonprofits Toxin Free USA (TFUSA) and Corporate Accountability Lab (CAL) filed a consumer protection lawsuit against Aqua Star Corp., for false and deceptive marketing of its shrimp products. While Aqua Star claims that its shrimp products are \u201cpure,\u201d \u201csustainable,\u201d and \u201cresponsible,\u201d in reality they may be tainted by antibiotics …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[56],"tags":[],"class_list":{"2":"type-post","6":"category-press-releases","7":"entry"},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7418"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7421,"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7418\/revisions\/7421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7418"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7418"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/toxinfreeusa.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7418"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}