Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Mexican Jalapeños Sickens 345, Impacts Chipotle and QDOBA

A multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers from Mexico has sickened 345 people across 27 states, according to a joint investigation by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The agencies reported the development on Wednesday, which has prompted a product recall and affected the supply chains of major restaurant operators.

Scope of the Outbreak

The FDA confirmed that the outbreak has led to 36 hospitalizations, though no deaths have been reported. The investigation traced the source of the contamination to jalapeño peppers from a single grower in Sinaloa, Mexico.

These peppers were distributed in the United States by Coast Citrus Distributors. The FDA stated that the distributor has agreed to recall the remaining product and is in the process of notifying its customers.

Impact on Restaurant Chains

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Several restaurant chains were identified as recipients of the affected peppers, including Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) and QDOBA. Both companies have taken corrective actions to mitigate risk to consumers.

According to the FDA:

• Chipotle switched to a new jalapeño supplier for all its restaurants beginning July 20.
• QDOBA stopped using the implicated jalapeños on July 28 and is no longer serving them.

The FDA has since stated that it "does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak." The broader investigation by federal health agencies remains ongoing.