Jalapeño Salmonella Outbreak Grows to 431 Cases in 32 States

At least 431 people across 32 states have been sickened by salmonella linked to contaminated fresh jalapeño peppers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. Fifty-seven people have been hospitalized, though no deaths have been reported.

The likely source is jalapeños grown in Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, which has recalled the peppers. They were served at Chipotle, Qdoba and other Mexican-style restaurant chains, both of which pulled jalapeños from their menus earlier this month.

Taylor Fresh Foods also recalled various salsa and dip products containing the recalled jalapeños, sold under brands including Hannaford, Kroger, Target, Trader Joe's and Walmart. Whole Foods Market recalled salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo and other prepared foods containing the peppers in 12 states, with best-by dates of August 7, 2026, and August 16, 2026.

Salmonella infections typically cause diarrhea, stomach cramps and fever that appear within hours to a few days of eating tainted food. The CDC said the true case count is likely much higher, since it can take three to four weeks for illnesses to be reported.

The jalapeño outbreak comes as the U.S. continues to grapple with a separate, much larger outbreak of the parasitic illness cyclosporiasis tied largely to tainted iceberg lettuce. As of Monday, the CDC had confirmed 15,716 cases in 47 states and Washington, D.C., an increase of 1,821 from the prior week, with nearly 12,000 more cases under investigation. Two deaths, both in Michigan, have been linked to the outbreak, along with 828 hospitalizations.

Most cyclosporiasis cases have been traced to iceberg lettuce from a Taylor Farms facility in Mexico, which recalled 236,192 cases of lettuce and salad mixes. Nearly half went to Walmart's Marketside salad brand, while Taco Bell, where Michigan officials first spotted a link, accounted for less than 2.5% of the recalled product. Some infected residents in North Carolina reported eating parsley and cilantro before falling ill, though no confirmed link to those herbs has been established.