US health officials have linked the infections to peppers from the Mexican state of Sinaloa, and the affected product has already been pulled from Chipotle and QDOBA restaurant chains.
A salmonella outbreak affecting the United States has been linked to jalapeño peppers imported from Mexico. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), 345 people across 27 states have fallen ill.
Of the total infected, 36 have been hospitalized, but fortunately, no deaths have been reported. The first symptoms among those affected appeared between June 19 and July 20, 2026, and the investigation into the source of the outbreak is still ongoing.
Health authorities have determined that the contaminated peppers were grown in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. They were distributed in the US by Coast Citrus Distributors, which supplied the product to restaurants, including popular chains Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA. The company has agreed to a voluntary recall of remaining stock and is notifying its customers of the situation.
Chipotle responded promptly, switching pepper suppliers as early as July 20. QDOBA stopped using them slightly later, on July 28, 2026, and no longer serves them. Coast Citrus Distributors did not respond to a request for comment from Reuters.
The FDA has stated that there is currently no further risk to consumers associated with this outbreak at restaurants that used the recalled peppers. The agency also noted that Coast Citrus does not appear to have directly supplied retail stores. Nevertheless, consumers and businesses are advised not to eat, sell, or serve jalapeño peppers that have been recalled and originate from Sinaloa.
Salmonellosis typically causes diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps, with complications possible in young children, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
