Federal health officials have warned of two multistate Salmonella outbreaks linked to recalled eggs and imported jalapeño peppers. The outbreaks have sickened more than 440 people and hospitalized more than 60 throughout the United States.
Health officials said Salmonella outbreaks involved different food products. But they underscored continuing concerns about foodborne illnesses this summer. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advised consumers to avoid recalled products.
The first outbreak has been associated with recalled eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services. Company officials recalled about 19 million eggs, or nearly 1.6 million cartons, after concerns of Salmonella contamination.
CDC said 98 people in 17 states have become ill in the outbreak linked to eggs. Twenty-six of them have been hospitalized.
Brands including Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshire’s, Cal-Maine, and Country Morning recalled more than 30 egg varieties. Kroger, Brookshire Grocery and other retailers in selected states distributed these eggs.
The CDC reported illnesses linked to the egg outbreak in Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.
In a separate announcement on Aug. 5, the CDC linked a second Salmonella outbreak to jalapeño peppers sourced from Sinaloa, Mexico, and sold by Coast Citrus Distributors.
The federal agency said 345 people in 27 states have become ill in the outbreak, with 36 of them needing hospitalization.
The CDC said suppliers distributed these affected jalapeños primarily to restaurants and wholesalers. The FDA is investigating whether the distribution of any of the peppers also included grocery stores.
Suppliers provided peppers to restaurant chains such as Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba. Both have stopped serving the affected jalapeños.
“Given their actions to remove product from their stores, CDC and FDA do not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak,” the CDC said.
The CDC reported illnesses linked to jalapeños in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
Health officials advise consumers to refrain from eating recalled eggs or jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. People who believe they have consumed the affected products should watch for symptoms of Salmonella infection.
