Louisiana Among 27 States Impacted by Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Jalapeño Peppers

Have you ever been impacted by Salmonella? It happened to me years ago. It's worse than the flu. It's not fun at all. We have to start worrying about it again today because
Louisiana is among 27 states affected by a multistate Salmonella outbreak that federal health officials have linked to imported jalapeño peppers from Mexico.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) says 345 people have gotten sick across the country and 36 of them required hospitalization. So far, no deaths have been reported. Health investigators have now traced the illnesses to jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.

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Louisiana Included in Multistate Investigation

The CDC says Louisiana is one of the 27 states where illnesses have been identified as part of the investigation. Federal officials believe that most of the contaminated peppers were shipped directly to restaurants and wholesale food suppliers rather than to grocery stores.

CDC

What Restaurants Have Been Impacted

After news of this outbreak was discovered, Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA removed the affected jalapeño peppers from their restaurants. The CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) say there is no ongoing risk to customers at those restaurant chains because the peppers have been taken out of circulation. Coast Citrus Distributors has also voluntarily recalled the affected jalapeño peppers.

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What You Need to Know About this Salmonella Outbreak

The first thing you need to do is to check to see where your fresh jalapeño peppers were purchased. If they were supplied through the recall, they should not be eaten. The FDA is continuing to investigate whether the contaminated peppers were also sold through grocery stores and could announce additional recalls if necessary.

What Salmonella Can Do to You

Salmonella infections typically cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps beginning six hours to six days after exposure. Most people recover within four to seven days without medical treatment. However, young children, adults age 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of developing severe illness that may require hospitalization.

For the latest outbreak information and updates, visit the CDC's Salmonella outbreak page at CDC Foodborne Outbreaks website.