*A nationwide salmonella outbreak traced to jalapeño peppers from Mexico has spread far beyond the produce aisle, prompting a federal alert covering 18 meat and poultry products and additional recalls of prepared foods sold by major U.S. retailers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the outbreak has sickened 345 people across 27 states, with 36 hospitalizations and no reported deaths as of Aug. 4. The CDC now says epidemiologic and traceback evidence identifies jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors as the source of the multistate outbreak.
The expanding problem illustrates how one contaminated ingredient can move through the food supply and turn up in products shoppers might never associate with a jalapeño recall — including chicken wraps, beef burritos, salads, bowls and other prepared meals.
18 Meat and Poultry Products Land on Federal Alert
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a public health alert involving 18 meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños.
As first detailed by The Independent, affected brands include Taylor Farms, Ready Meals, Meal Simple, Higher Harvest and Deli Kitchen. Among the products identified are Deli Kitchen’s Chipotle Cheddar Chicken Wrap and prepared meals containing chicken, along with burritos and other ready-to-eat foods.
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The products were distributed through major retailers, with the broader recall reaching stores including Kroger, H-E-B, Hannaford, Walmart and Albertsons.
Federal officials have warned that the list may grow as investigators continue identifying downstream foods made with the recalled peppers.
Importantly, officials have not reported illnesses specifically tied to the meat and poultry products covered by the FSIS alert. They are being flagged because the products contain jalapeños connected to the larger outbreak.
The Recall Has Spread Well Beyond Meat
The problem isn’t limited to those 18 products.
Taylor Fresh Foods has recalled whole jalapeños as well as foods made with them. The CDC says affected products include burritos, bowls, guacamole, sandwiches, salsas, salads and wraps with “best if used by” dates through Aug. 16.
The recalled foods were distributed across 26 states and supplied to retailers including Albertsons, H-E-B, Hannaford, Kroger, RaceTrac, Stop & Shop, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Wawa and Whole Foods.
That widening footprint is what makes this outbreak particularly important for consumers: shoppers don’t necessarily need to have purchased a package of whole jalapeños to have a potentially affected product sitting in the refrigerator.
Chipotle and QDOBA Removed the Peppers
Restaurant exposure helped investigators zero in on the outbreak.
Of 191 sick people interviewed by public health officials, 177 — or 93% — reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant during the week before becoming ill. The restaurants named included Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA.
Both chains stopped serving the affected jalapeños after being notified about the outbreak. Federal health officials say their actions mean the restaurants are not considered an ongoing outbreak risk to customers.
Illnesses included in the investigation began between June 19 and July 20. The CDC cautions that the true number of cases is probably higher because many people recover without medical care or testing, while newer illnesses can take several weeks to be connected to an outbreak.
Check Refrigerators and Freezers Now
Consumers should check products against the official recall information rather than assume every food containing jalapeños is dangerous.
The CDC says recalled jalapeños and foods made with them should not be eaten. Consumers should throw the products away or return them to the place of purchase. Items and surfaces that may have touched recalled peppers should be cleaned with hot, soapy water or in a dishwasher.
Salmonella infection commonly causes diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Symptoms typically begin six hours to six days after exposure, with most people recovering without treatment within four to seven days.
Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems face greater risk of severe illness.
The CDC recommends contacting a health care provider for serious symptoms including bloody diarrhea, diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement, fever above 102 degrees, persistent vomiting that prevents keeping liquids down or signs of dehydration.
With federal officials continuing to trace where the recalled peppers traveled, the key for consumers isn’t to fear every jalapeño in the kitchen. It’s to identify the specific recalled products — including prepared foods where jalapeños may not be the ingredient shoppers notice first — and get them off the menu.
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