The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced an investigation into a multistate Salmonella outbreak associated with jalapeno peppers imported from Mexico. This outbreak has resulted in 345 reported illnesses across 27 states, with 36 hospitalizations but no fatalities.
The FDA traced the source of the outbreak to a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, and the peppers were distributed in the U.S. by Coast Citrus Distributors, which has initiated a recall of the affected products. Notably, restaurants such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA were identified as recipients of these jalapenos.
In response to the outbreak, Chipotle has switched its jalapeno supplier as of July 20, while QDOBA ceased serving jalapenos entirely on July 28. The FDA has stated that there is no ongoing risk to consumers from these establishments related to this outbreak, indicating that the situation is being managed effectively