CDC says US salmonella outbreak tied to jalapeno peppers from Mexico

At least 345 people across 27 US states have been reported getting sick from a salmonella strain linked to jalapeno peppers.

The multistate salmonella outbreak has been traced back to a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, federal officials say. Most of the cases have been reported in Minnesota and Colorado. While no deaths have been recorded, United States officials say at least 36 people have been hospitalised.

Salmonella bacteria trigger about 1.35 million infections in the US every year, and outbreaks have been linked to sources such as cucumbers, eggs, unpasteurised milk, fresh basil, geckos and pet bearded dragons. Within hours or days of being exposed to the bacteria, infected people often suffer from diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Wednesday that the chilli peppers were moved into the US by Coast Citrus Distributors. The company has recalled the peppers and is in the process of notifying its customers, which include some prominent Mexican food restaurant chains like Chipotle and Qdoba.

Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapenos from some of its restaurants. Qdoba on Wednesday said the company had proactively removed jalapenos from all of its restaurants.

“Given their actions to remove product from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak,” CDC officials said in a statement.

The FDA is investigating whether any of the jalapenos were distributed throughout grocery stores. If so, the agency may announce additional actions on its recalls webpage, health officials said.

Shares of Chipotle, based in Newport Beach, California, tumbled nearly 10 percent on Tuesday and have yet to recover.  A number of fast-casual chains like Chipotle have seen less foot traffic from middle- and lower-income customers due to broader inflation in the US, and recent headlines about foodborne illnesses may be another negative.

Separately, lettuce from Mexico served at the fast-food chain Taco Bell in several states has been identified as the source of a recent cyclospora outbreak by federal authorities, who continue to search for additional possible sources.