As if the recent Cyclospora outbreak wasn’t bad enough (I don’t know about you, but I’m still afraid to eat salad), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a jalapeño recall due to a salmonella outbreak.
Only a few cases of the illness have been logged in Texas so far, but around 345 people have reported salmonella symptoms across 27 states in total. As of writing, 36 of those individuals have been hospitalized, but thankfully no deaths have been recorded.
The CDC announced on Wednesday that the specific jalapeños causing the illness were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Most of these were primarily sent to Mexican food restaurants, like Chipotle and Qdoba, though some were distributed wholesale as well.
Tracking the source of a salmonella outbreak
Around 93% of the 191 people interviewed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about their salmonella symptoms said they ate at either a Qdoba or Chipotle between June 14 and July 14. Both chains immediately stopped serving jalapeños once they were made aware of the recall.
In a statement, officials from the CDC said of the two eateries, “Given their actions to remove products from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak.”
The FDA is currently looking into whether any jalapeños from Coast Citrus ended up in grocery stores, but are advising the public to use caution in the meantime.
Symptoms of salmonella infection
Salmonella symptoms typically appear anywhere between six hours and a week after you’ve eaten something containing the bacteria. The most common issues you’ll experience if you’ve contracted the illness are stomach cramps, diarrhea, and fever. These usually only last for about a week or less and will clear up on their own.
To treat salmonella in most cases, the best thing you can do is keep yourself hydrated and take general upset stomach medications, like Pepto Bismol, to ease your discomfort. In some cases the illness can lead to hospitalization, as it affects children, people with weakened immune systems, and seniors more severely than others.
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of the following symptoms after potentially ingesting jalapeños with salmonella or another food containing the bacteria, contact a doctor right away:
- Fever higher than 102℉ coupled with diarrhea
- Diarrhea that lasts for over three days, does not seem to be lessening/improving, or is bloody
- Vomiting so frequently that you can’t keep any liquids down
- Dehydration—dry throat/mouth, not urinating as much as you usually would, experiencing dizziness upon standing
In these instances, an antibiotic or anti-diarrheal may be needed to fully treat the illness and remove any lingering bacteria from your body.
Aside from avoiding jalapeños distributed by Citrus Coast until the affected products have been fully recalled, it’s best to wash and sanitize any other surfaces or items that may have come in contact with the bacteria to avoid illness.
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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