In Brief:
- Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeños sickened 345 across 27 states (36 hospitalized, 0 deaths).
- Grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus.
- Recalled peppers removed from Chipotle and QDOBA; Chipotle stock dropped >8%.
- FDA confirms no ongoing threat to restaurant customers; grocery stores were unsupplied.
U.S. health officials (CDC and FDA) are investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to Mexican jalapeño peppers imported from Sinaloa by Coast Citrus Distributors, which has sickened 345 people across 27 states and resulted in 36 hospitalizations with no deaths.
In response, Coast Citrus issued a recall for affected jalapeños sent to restaurant chains like Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, both of which have stopped serving or replaced jalapeños from the supplier.
Although Chipotle's stock dropped over 8% following the news, the FDA confirmed there is no ongoing public health risk from these establishments, as Coast Citrus did not supply grocery stores directly and affected produce has been removed.
