Taylor Farms, the massive produce producer linked to a cyclospora outbreak, is recalling products containing jalapenos after the Food and Drug Administration linked the peppers to a multistate salmonella outbreak.
The outbreak has sickened 345 people across 27 states, according to federal health officials. Restaurant chains, including Chipotle and Qdoba, pulled jalapenos from their restaurants last week, while the USDA said this weekend that grocery stores were also removing meat products containing the peppers.
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The salmonella infections have been linked to fresh jalapenos supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors, which provides peppers to Taylor Farms. Federal investigators identified a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies Coast Citrus Distributors as the possible source of the outbreak. Taylor Fresh Foods, a Taylor Farms subsidiary, said it is no longer sourcing jalapenos from the grower and will instead obtain the peppers from alternative suppliers.
“Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers,” the company said in a statement. “To date, Taylor Fresh Foods is not aware of any reported illnesses linked to its products containing jalapeños.”
The recalled products were distributed across 26 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin, and West Virginia.
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The recalled products include branded and unbranded Taylor Farms products with “Best If Used By” dates up to and including Aug. 16. Consumers should check the recall list and discard any affected products.
Salmonella is a bacterial infection that can cause serious illness, particularly in young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Common symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In rare cases, the infection can spread to the bloodstream and cause more severe complications, including arterial infections, endocarditis, and arthritis.
