CDC reports over 400 salmonella cases linked to contaminated jalapeños
More than 430 people in 32 states have fallen ill after eating fresh jalapeño peppers contaminated with salmonella, prompting recalls by distributors and major retailers.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said at least 431 individuals in 32 states have been infected with salmonella after consuming fresh jalapeño peppers grown in Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. The distributor has recalled the peppers, which were used by Mexican-style restaurant chains such as Chipotle and Qdoba, both of which removed jalapeños from their menus earlier this month.
Taylor Fresh Foods also withdrew salsa and dip products containing the recalled jalapeños that were sold under several grocery brands, including Hannaford, Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s and Walmart. Whole Foods Market recalled selected salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods with the peppers in 12 states, with best-before dates of August 7 and August 16, 2026.
Fifty-seven patients have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported. The CDC noted that the true number of cases could be higher because reporting can lag by three to four weeks.
"People infected with salmonella often experience diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever within hours to days after eating contaminated food," the agency explained.
The agency also highlighted a concurrent rise in cyclosporiasis cases linked to contaminated lettuce, with more than 15,700 confirmed infections across 47 states and Washington, D.C., and nearly 12,000 additional cases under investigation. Most of those cases have been tied to iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms facility in Mexico, leading to recalls of over 236,000 lettuce packages, a portion of which were distributed to Walmart’s Marketside brand. Yum Brands, the owner of Taco Bell, recalled about 5,900 cases, representing less than 2.5% of the total lettuce recalled.