The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for 18 meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The alert is in connection with a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened 345 people across 27 states. Many of the implicated products are sold under the Taylor Farms brand,. Other brands include Walmart’s Marketside brand and H-E-B brand.
The FSIS expects additional downstream products will be identified as this ingredient recall progresses. The products covered by the FSIS alert have use by dates up to and including Aug. 15.
The list of products subject to the public health alert is available here, including information such as the product names, establishment numbers and states where the products were distributed.
The problem was discovered when Food and Drug Administration notified FSIS that multiple FSIS-regulated establishments received an FDA-regulated ingredient that had been recalled. More information on the FDA recall and outbreak investigation is available on FDA’s website.
FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ or retailers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them. Retailers who have purchased these products are urged not to serve or sell them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
The Salmonella outbreak involves jalapeño peppers distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors to distributors, restaurants, and food service companies, including Mexican-style restaurants in the United States.
Based on epidemiological information collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 345 people infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella have been reported from 27 states. There have been 36 hospitalizations. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 19 to July 20. Of the 191 people interviewed, 177 (93 percent) reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before their illness, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, with meal dates ranging from June 14 to July 14.
Chipotle and QDOBA both received product that was imported by Coast Citrus Distributors from Sinaloa, Mexico. Chipotle switched their jalapeño supplier for impacted stores beginning on July 20 and are no longer serving affected product; QDOBA also ceased the use of jalapeños in their stores on July 28 and all QDOBA restaurants are no longer serving jalapenos. Given their actions to remove product from their stores, FDA does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak.
As part of this investigation, FDA conducted a traceback investigation based on where ill people reported eating during the timeframe of interest and a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico that supplies to Coast Citrus Distributors was identified as the likely source in this outbreak.
As a result, FDA recommended Coast Citrus Distributors conduct a recall to remove product from the market. In cooperation with the FDA, Coast Citrus Distributors has agreed to recall the remaining product implicated in the outbreak through epidemiological and traceback data and is in the process of identifying and contacting affected customers. The firm is no longer importing from the common grower.
About Salmonella infections
Food contaminated with Salmonella bacteria does not usually look, smell, or taste spoiled. Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection. Infants, children, seniors, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of serious illness because their immune systems are fragile.
Anyone who has eaten any products containing jalapeños and developed symptoms of Salmonella infection should seek medical attention. Sick people should tell their doctors about the possible exposure to Salmonella bacteria because special tests are necessary to diagnose salmonellosis. Salmonella infection symptoms can mimic other illnesses, frequently leading to misdiagnosis.
Symptoms of Salmonella infection can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever within 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Otherwise, healthy adults are usually sick for four to seven days. In some cases, however, diarrhea may be so severe that patients require hospitalization.
Older adults, children, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients, are more likely to develop a severe illness and serious, sometimes life-threatening conditions.
Some people get infected without getting sick or showing any symptoms. However, they may still spread the infections to others.
