- 345 people have fallen ill in a Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeño peppers
- The contaminated peppers were supplied to restaurants, including Chipotle and QDOBA
- Health authorities have recalled the product as investigations continue
United States health authorities are investigating a multistate Salmonella outbreak traced to jalapeño peppers imported from Mexico after 345 people fell ill across 27 states.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said the outbreak has resulted in 36 hospitalisations, with no deaths reported so far. Investigations into the source of the infections are still ongoing.
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According to the FDA, reported illnesses began between June 19 and July 20. Salmonella infection commonly causes diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps, but can lead to serious illness in young children, older adults and individuals with weakened immune systems.
As part of efforts to contain the outbreak, Coast Citrus Distributors has recalled jalapeño peppers supplied from Sinaloa, Mexico, after investigators linked the produce to the infections.
The recalled peppers were distributed to several restaurants in the United States, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA.
Health officials said the outbreak comes as authorities continue to monitor food safety following another recent investigation involving cyclosporiasis linked to contaminated lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants. That investigation later traced the source of the lettuce to Taylor Farms’ operations in central Mexico and has since expanded to 15 U.S. states.
Chipotle, which has previously dealt with foodborne illness outbreaks, has already changed its jalapeño supplier for affected restaurants since July 20. QDOBA also stopped serving jalapeños from the implicated supplier on July 28, according to the FDA.
The agency said Coast Citrus Distributors is contacting customers and removing the remaining affected products from circulation.
Although the restaurants involved have taken corrective measures, the FDA stated that it does not believe there is an ongoing risk to consumers at those locations.
Officials also clarified that the recalled jalapeños were not supplied directly to grocery stores. However, consumers and businesses have been advised not to consume, sell or serve the recalled peppers originating from Sinaloa while the investigation continues.
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