AUSTIN, Texas — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported an outbreak of Salmonella linked to jalapeños, causing local grocery stores to recall dozens of items.
According to the CDC, there have been 345 confirmed cases across 27 states linked to jalapeños produced in Sinaloa, Mexico, resulting in 36 hospitalizations so far.
Products linked to Coast Citrus Distributors have been recalled at several major grocery corporations, including Whole Foods, H-E-B, Trader Joe’s and stores under the Randalls umbrella.
Kristen Orsborn, a Whole Foods Market spokesperson, reported that the corporation removed 43 items from their shelves.
Orsborn wrote in a statement to CBS Austin, “Nothing matters more to us than our customers’ safety. We’ve pulled all recalled products from our shelves. Customers who purchased any of these products from us should throw them away and contact us for a refund.”
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H-E-B also reported recalling over 35 items, including pre-diced jalapeños; jalapeño popper stuffed mushrooms; several ceviche products; various types of pico de gallo, salsa, and guacamole; among other items.
In a statement to CBS Austin, H-E-B wrote, “Out of an abundance of caution, H-E-B voluntarily removed bulk jalapeños from Coast Citrus Distributors as well as all products related to supplier recalls that included the impacted jalapeños as an ingredient. Our stores are in good supply, and all products currently available are safe and not impacted by the investigation or recalls.”
H-E-B has removed over 35 items connected to jalapeños from Coast Citrus Distributors (Photo: CBS Austin/Audrey Wong)
Heather Cooks-Sinclair, manager of the Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance unit at Austin Public Health, says no cases in Austin or Travis County have been linked to the jalapeño-caused Salmonella outbreak, and no potential cases are actively being investigated.
However, she says cases of Salmonella often go unreported, making the true number of cases in the area difficult to know.
Cooks-Sinclair explains that Salmonella bacteria are often found in feces from animals.
“When you get your produce, you need to wash it completely, because it’s been grown out in the environment where it’s exposed to animals and those kinds of things,” she said.
She also says that the more processed the produce, the greater the risk of exposure to salmonella and other contamination.
Cooks-Sinclair explained that produce that is pre-cut and packaged is vulnerable to contamination by contaminated produce that was processed previously and left bacteria on the processing machinery.
“A whole food that has minimal processing is always going to be…I don’t want to say safer, but it’s going to have less opportunity to be exposed to a variety of items that were processed before it,” she said.
Cooks-Sinclair recommends seeing a doctor and getting tested if you experience common symptoms of salmonella such as nausea and diarrhea.