The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has issued a public health alert for meat and poultry products containing jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The alert follows a recall of fresh jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Federal health agencies are investigating a multistate outbreak of Salmonella Javiana infections linked to the peppers.
FSIS said additional meat and poultry products could be added to the alert as authorities identify more products containing the recalled ingredient.
345 illnesses reported across 27 states
According to the latest information from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 345 people in 27 states have been infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella.
The outbreak has resulted in 36 hospitalisations, with no deaths reported.
Illnesses began between June 19 and July 20, 2026.
Of 191 people interviewed as part of the investigation, 177 — or 93% — said they had eaten at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming ill. Reported meal dates ranged from June 14 to July 14.
Jalapeños traced to Sinaloa, Mexico
The FDA said its traceback investigation identified a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplied jalapeños to Coast Citrus Distributors as the likely source of the outbreak.
The agency recommended that Coast Citrus Distributors recall the remaining implicated product.
The company has agreed to the recall and is working with the FDA to identify and contact affected customers. It has also stopped importing from the grower identified during the investigation.
The recalled peppers were distributed to wholesalers, restaurants, distributors and food-service companies nationwide. The FDA said Coast Citrus does not appear to supply jalapeños directly to grocery stores.
Chipotle, QDOBA stopped using affected peppers
Chipotle and QDOBA both received jalapeños imported by Coast Citrus Distributors from Sinaloa.
Chipotle switched suppliers for affected stores beginning July 20 and is no longer serving the implicated product.
QDOBA stopped using jalapeños at its restaurants on July 28. The FDA said all QDOBA locations had stopped serving the peppers and that it did not consider there to be an ongoing consumer risk from those establishments.
FSIS warns consumers not to eat affected products
FSIS said some meat and poultry products containing the recalled jalapeños could still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.
Consumers who purchased products covered by the public health alert are urged not to eat them. They should either throw the products away or return them to the place of purchase.
Retailers and food-service businesses should not sell or serve the affected products.
The full FSIS product list includes product names, establishment numbers, distribution states and contact information.
What are the symptoms of Salmonella?
Salmonella infection can cause salmonellosis, a bacterial illness that commonly produces:
-Diarrhea
-Fever
-Abdominal cramps
Symptoms can begin within several hours to several days after consuming contaminated food and typically last four to seven days.
Most people recover without treatment. However, severe illness can require hospitalisation.
Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of serious infection.
Anyone who develops symptoms after consuming potentially contaminated food should contact a healthcare provider.
CDC advises caution over recalled jalapeños
The CDC has advised consumers not to eat, serve or sell recalled fresh jalapeños from Sinaloa that were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.
The agency’s investigation remains ongoing.
Consumers who froze recalled peppers — or are unsure whether their peppers came from the affected supplier — are advised to discard them.
Authorities are also urging businesses to thoroughly clean and sanitise surfaces, containers and other areas that may have come into contact with the peppers to prevent cross-contamination.
No confirmed illnesses linked to FSIS-regulated products
FSIS said there have been no confirmed reports of illness specifically linked to the FSIS-regulated meat and poultry products covered by its latest public health alert.
However, the agency expects additional downstream products to be identified as the ingredient recall progresses.
