The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on January 22 that at least 345 people across 27 states have been confirmed ill from a salmonella strain linked to jalapeño peppers. Most cases are concentrated in Minnesota and Colorado. While no deaths have been reported, at least 36 individuals have been hospitalized.
According to federal officials, the outbreak source has been traced back to a farm in the state of Sinaloa, Mexico. The peppers were imported into the US by Coast Citrus Distributors. The company has recalled the product and is notifying customers, including prominent Mexican restaurant chains such as Chipotle and Qdoba.
Chipotle Mexican Grill said it removed jalapeños from some restaurants starting January 21. Meanwhile, Qdoba also announced it proactively removed the peppers from all its restaurants. The CDC noted that due to quick action, these two chains are no longer a current risk to consumers in the outbreak.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating whether the jalapeño peppers in question were distributed to grocery stores. If so, the agency may announce further actions on its recall page.
Each year, salmonella causes about 1.35 million infections in the US. Previous outbreaks have been linked to cucumbers, eggs, unpasteurized milk, fresh basil, lizards, and Australian bearded dragons. People infected with the bacteria typically experience diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain within hours to days after exposure.
In terms of economic impact, Chipotle, headquartered in Newport Beach, California, saw its stock drop nearly 10% on January 21, with no signs of recovery. Fast-casual chains like Chipotle have seen a decline in customers from middle and lower income brackets due to inflation, and news of food poisoning could add further negative pressure.
In a separate development, federal authorities also identified lettuce imported from Mexico served at Taco Bell in some states as the source of a recent cyclospora outbreak. Investigations are ongoing to find other potential sources of infection.
