More than a dozen popular dips, salsas and prepared foods sold at major retailers including Walmart and Target have been recalled over fears they may be contaminated with Salmonella. 

Taylor Fresh Foods recalled some products containing jalapenos after its supplier pulled the peppers over their link to an outbreak that has sickened 345 people across 27 states and hospitalized 36. 

Health officials have traced the Salmonella outbreak to peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and imported by Coast Citrus Distributors. The jalapenos were primarily sold to restaurants, including Chipotle and QDOBA, which have already stopped using them.

The recalled products from Taylor Fresh Foods, including pico de gallo, guacamole, taco dip, spicy cheese dips, burritos and a shrimp salad, were distributed to Walmart, Target, Trader Joe's, Kroger, Whole Foods, Hannaford and Stop & Shop stores in 26 states.

According to the FDA recall notice, the affected products have a ‘Best If Used By’ date up to and including August 16, 2026.

To date, Taylor Fresh Foods says it is not aware of any reported illnesses linked specifically to its products. However, contaminated food can look and smell completely normal while still causing illness.

People who purchased any recalled product should not eat it and should throw it away immediately or return it to the place of purchase for a refund.

The products were distributed in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Wisconsin and West Virginia.

‘Taylor Fresh Foods is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers,’ the FDA notice said.

Minnesota and Colorado have been hardest hit by salmonella linked to the recalled peppers, with 110 cases each, followed by Illinois with 30.

Of the 191 patients interviewed, 93 percent said they had eaten jalapeños at Chipotle or other restaurants before getting sick.

It was not clear what caused the outbreak, but jalapenos can be contaminated with bacteria if they are irrigated with water contaminated with animal feces.

Health officials warn the true toll is likely much higher, as most people infected with Salmonella are never tested.

The US is also battling an outbreak of Salmonella linked to eggs that has sickened dozens and hospitalized 17 people. A recall of 1.5 million dozen eggs was issued over the outbreak reported late last month.

More than 1.3 million Americans are sickened by Salmonella every year, while 26,000 are hospitalized and 400 die from the disease.

Most healthy people infected with Salmonella develop diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps within six hours to six days of exposure. 

The illness typically lasts four to seven days and most recover without treatment.

But in some cases, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause severe illness. It can infect the walls of blood vessels, weakening them and leading to life-threatening bleeding.

It can also infect the inner lining of the heart, damaging valves and potentially causing heart failure.

In other cases, it can trigger reactive arthritis – a painful condition that causes swollen, stiff joints in the knees, ankles and feet that can last for months.

These complications are rare, but when they do occur, they are serious and can be fatal.

Children under five, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems are at highest risk of serious complications.

Health officials urge customers to call their doctor or healthcare right away if they experience diarrhea with a fever higher than 102 degrees F, diarrhea lasting more than three days without improvement, bloody diarrhea, vomiting so severe they cannot keep fluids down or signs of dehydration such as not urinating much, a dry mouth and throat or feeling dizzy when standing up.