Mexico, RFK Jr, Taylor Farms weigh in on cyclospora outbreak
Confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis surpassed 4,000, per the CDC. Here’s what health officials in the U.S. and Mexico have said about the outbreak.
Taylor Farms has recalled a variety of food products containing jalapeños linked to an ongoing salmonella outbreak.
The affected products were sold at grocery stores including Walmart, Target and Trader Joe’s in 26 states, according to an Aug. 9 recall notice published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Separately, on Aug. 8, the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing jalapeños also connected to the outbreak.
Both notices come after more than 300 people in 27 states were sickened by salmonella in an outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers, according to an Aug. 5 update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC said the outbreak is believed to have originated from jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed in the United States to restaurants including Chipotle and Qdoba, which both pulled the ingredient from their stores nationwide.
Taylor Farms is also at the center of a widespread cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce. The salmonella outbreak tied to jalapeños does not appear to be connected to the cyclospora outbreak.
Salmonella is a foodborne illness that can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, per the CDC.
Here’s what to know about the latest FDA recall and USDA alert.
Which grocery stores sold recalled jalapeño items?
According to the FDA recall notice, Taylor Farms has pulled a variety of food items because they may have used jalapeños from a grower linked to a salmonella outbreak. However, the company said it is not aware of any illnesses linked to its products containing jalapeños at this point.
The recalled items were sold at Kroger, Walmart, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, Hannaford and Stop and Shop locations in 26 states.
They include pre-made guacamole, pico de gallo, salsa and dip products sold under various brand names.
Anyone who has one of the recalled products should throw them away immediately, the notice said.
Refunds are available at the location of purchase, and consumers with questions can contact Taylor Farms at 855-455-0098 Monday through Friday between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET.
See list of recalled Taylor Farms products with jalapeños
The recalled products have “Best If Used By” dates ranging from Aug. 7 through Aug. 16. See the full list in the searchable table below:
Which states are affected by recall of jalapeño products sold at grocery stores?
The recalled items were sold in the following states:
- Alabama
- Arkansas
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Massachusetts
- Maine
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Mississippi
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New York
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Vermont
- Wisconsin
- West Virginia
Meat and poultry items with jalapeños also at risk
The USDA public health alert also identified several meat and poultry products that may contain impacted jalapeños. They were sold at grocery stores nationwide.
While separate from the FDA recall, if consumers have any of the items listed in the USDA alert, they should not eat them. The agency said it is also urging retailers not to serve or sell the products.
There have been no confirmed reports of illness from the products containing the affected jalapeños. See the full list in the searchable table below:
What is salmonella? See symptoms
Salmonella are a type of bacteria that can cause people to get sick from eating contaminated food or drinking contaminated water, per the CDC.
The bacteria, which has many different types, are a leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States, according to the agency.
People who get sick from salmonella usually start experiencing symptoms between six hours to six days after infection, according to the agency.
Symptoms, which usually last four to seven days, include watery diarrhea, stomach cramps, headache, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Keep up with her on X @melinakh and Instagram @bymelinakhan.