At least 431 people in 32 states have gotten sick from eating fresh jalapeño peppers contaminated with salmonella, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday.
The likeliest source of the illnesses was jalapeños grown in Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, which recalled the peppers. They were served at Chipotle, Qdoba and other Mexican-style restaurants. Chipotle and Qdoba removed jalapeños from their menus early this month.
Taylor Fresh Foods also pulled various salsa and dip products that contained the recalled jalapeños. The products were sold under brands including Hannaford, Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s and Walmart. Whole Foods recalled salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods containing the peppers.
Whole Foods Market recalled selected salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods containing the peppers in 12 states, with best before/by dates of 8/7/2026 and 8/16/2026.
Fifty-seven people have been hospitalized. No deaths have been reported.
People infected with salmonella bacteria often have diarrhea, stomach cramps and a fever that comes on within hours to a few days after having eaten tainted food. The CDC said the number of cases in the salmonella outbreak is likely to be much higher. Because it can take three to four weeks for cases to be reported, there may be more illnesses not yet reported.
The U.S. has also dealt with a massive uptick in the parasitic illness cyclosporiasis this summer, driven largely by tainted lettuce. While reports of new cases appear to be slowing, it remains one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in U.S. history, shaking Americans’ faith in the safety of salads and fresh produce.
As of Monday, 15,716 cases of the stomach bug had been confirmed in 47 states and Washington, D.C., the CDC reported. That’s up by 1,821 from its last update a week ago.
Nearly 12,000 more cases are under investigation.
Like salmonella, the cyclospora parasite also causes nausea, as well as intense, watery diarrhea that can linger for weeks. The illness can be treated with antibiotics. Nearly 900 people, 828, have been hospitalized. Two people in Michigan, the state hardest hit by the outbreak, died.
Most cyclosporiasis cases have been linked to iceberg lettuce sourced from a Taylor Farms facility in Mexico. Health officials in Michigan were the first to tie cases to lettuce served at some Taco Bell locations.
But Taco Bell accounted for a fraction of the products ultimately recalled by Taylor Farms.
According to an FDA report, the company recalled 236,192 cases of iceberg lettuce and salad mixes. Nearly half of those cases were distributed to Walmart for its Marketside salad brand.
Yum Brands, which owns Taco Bell, had 5,900 cases recalled, according to the report. That accounts for less than 2.5% of the recalled lettuce.
It’s also clear that Taylor Farms lettuce doesn’t account for all cyclosporiasis cases.
Health officials in North Carolina said that some of their 929 infected residents said they’d eaten parsley and cilantro before they got sick but that there’s been no proof linking cases to fresh herbs.
