A new foodborne illness outbreak has hit 27 states, including Texas. Salmonella tied to jalapeños from Mexico and served in Qdoba and Chipotle restaurants has made 345 people sick and sent 36 people to the hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Salmonella is a bacteria that lives in the intestines of people and animals. People get the bacteria by eating contaminated food or drinking water that has come in contact with infected feces. In the U.S., there are about 1.35 million cases of this foodborne illness a year, according to the CDC, and it is more common in the summer.
This new jalapeño-linked outbreak has hit three people in Texas, but none of them in Central Texas, said Chris Van Deusen, director of media relations for the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.
The jalapeños tied to the current outbreak were from Coast Citrus Distributors from Sinaloa, Mexico, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Chipotle stopped using jalapeños from Coast Citrus beginning on July 20. Adoba stopped serving any jalapeños on July 28.
“The FDA does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak,” the administration said in a news release.
It is working with Coast Citrus to trace the full distribution of the jalapeños, including whether supermarkets also sold them.
Restaurants should remove any jalapeños they received from Coast Citrus. They should also wash and sanitize any surfaces that have been in contact with these jalapeños.
People usually become ill six hours to six days after coming in contact with the bacteria. People usually recover without treatment four to seven days after symptoms start.
People should seek medical care if they have:
Salmonella can be treated with antibiotics, but it is increasingly resistant to some antibiotics. Supportive care such as giving fluids and managing symptoms also can help.
Salmonella is most dangerous for babies and children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, adults 50 and older with chronic conditions, and people who have weakened immune systems.