Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapenos spreads to multiple states, dozens hospitalized

Chipotle said Tuesday it removed jalapeños from some restaurants after health officials linked a multistate Salmonella outbreak to recalled jalapeño peppers.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Wednesday said 345 people in 27 states have been sickened, including 36 who were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported. Epidemiologic and traceback evidence identified jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors as the source of the outbreak.

The CDC said Chipotle and QDOBA stopped serving the affected jalapeño peppers after being notified of the outbreak. Because both chains removed the product from their restaurants, the CDC and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration "do not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak."

The development follows reporting by The Wall Street Journal that Minnesota health officials were investigating a Salmonella outbreak tied to jalapeños served at Mexican-style quick-service restaurants, with Chipotle a focus of that investigation.

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According to the Journal, the Minnesota Department of Health identified 110 cases of Salmonella Javiana tied to the outbreak. Of the 84 people interviewed after becoming ill, 89% reported eating at Chipotle between mid-June and last month, citing Carlota Medus, senior epidemiologist supervisor in the department's foodborne diseases unit.

In a statement Tuesday, Chipotle said it is aware that public health authorities are investigating "the source of a Salmonella outbreak in the supply chain impacting several food service retailers."

"The health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority," the company said.

Chipotle said it immediately activated its ingredient traceability system after learning of the potential outbreak and identified jalapeños from a common lot as a potential shared ingredient.

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"Out of an abundance of caution, we proactively removed the jalapeños from our restaurants and replaced them with product from different growers," the company said.

Coast Citrus Distributors has recalled the affected jalapeño peppers, according to the CDC. The FDA is continuing to investigate whether the recalled peppers were also distributed to grocery stores.

"We have a robust ingredient traceability system," Laurie Schalow, Chipotle's chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, said in the company's statement.

The outbreak revives memories of Chipotle's 2015 food safety crisis, when separate E. coli outbreaks linked to meals at the chain sickened 60 people across multiple states. A separate Salmonella outbreak in Minnesota that year was traced to tomatoes served at a single Chipotle restaurant. The incidents prompted the company to overhaul its food safety program and strengthen food safety measures, including ingredient traceability.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
CMG	CHIPOTLE MEXICAN GRILL INC.	33.71	-0.79	-2.28%

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The CDC advised businesses not to sell or serve the recalled jalapeño peppers and urged consumers who may have purchased affected peppers to avoid eating them. Most people infected with Salmonella recover without treatment within four to seven days, though young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at greater risk of severe illness.

Chipotle shares fell 7.3% Tuesday, according to the Journal.