The CDC announced today that the multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, is over, and the FDA has closed its investigation. The final count is 488 sick people in 34 states. Sixty-five people were hospitalized – 15% of the 434 with information available. No deaths were reported. Illnesses started on dates ranging from June 16, 2026, to August 26, 2026.

That is up from 431 sick in 32 states and 57 hospitalizations at the August 19 update, and from 345 sick in 27 states when the outbreak was first announced on August 5. As CDC always notes, the true number of sick people was likely much higher, since many people recover without seeing a doctor and are never tested for Salmonella.

Chipotle and QDOBA

State and local health officials interviewed 308 sick people. Of those, 281 (91%) reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming ill, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA, with meal dates from June 14 to July 29, 2026. Investigators identified 36 illness clusters – at 31 Chipotle locations in 7 states and 5 QDOBA locations in 2 states. Commonly reported ingredients included jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, and avocado.

According to the FDA, both chains received jalapeños imported by Coast Citrus Distributors from Sinaloa. Chipotle switched its jalapeño supplier for impacted stores beginning July 20, 2026, and QDOBA stopped using jalapeños in its stores on July 28, 2026. FDA’s traceback, based on where sick people ate, identified a common grower in Sinaloa that supplies Coast Citrus as the likely source. Whole genome sequencing showed the bacteria from sick people were closely related genetically.

What FDA did not find is as telling as what it did. FDA investigators inspected a common Mexican distributor identified through traceback, observing operations, reviewing records, and collecting samples. By the time they got there, no jalapeños were left to sample. All of the environmental samples came back negative for Salmonella, and FDA says it was unable to determine a route or source of contamination.

The Recalls

Coast Citrus Distributors initiated a limited recall on July 22, 2026, of jalapeños packed in bulk generic Coast Tropical packaging, and on August 5 agreed to recall the remaining jalapeños implicated in the outbreak. The firm is no longer importing from the common grower. Downstream recalls followed, as listed on FDA’s Major Product Recalls page:

– NatureBest Precut & Produce (August 8) – NatureBest and H-E-B pico de gallo, stuffed mushrooms, and soup mix sold in Texas and Louisiana.

– Taylor Fresh Foods (August 9) – dips, salsa, guacamole and other products sold under Trader Joe’s, Freshness Guaranteed and other labels, with stores including Hannaford, Kroger, Stop and Shop, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Whole Foods.

– Salata (August 11) – Jalapeño Avocado Dressing.

– Whole Foods Market (August 12) – select salsas, guacamole, pico de gallo and prepared foods in 12 states.

– Dairyland Produce (August 12) – 5-pound jalapeño packs.

USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service also issued a public health alert on August 8 for meat and poultry products – salads, bowls, and burritos – made with the recalled jalapeños. The FSIS product list includes products sold at Walmart, Kroger, H-E-B and others. FSIS reported no confirmed illnesses tied to those specific products.

The fresh jalapeños themselves are long past shelf life, but FDA warns that some of the downstream recalled products have longer shelf lives. Consumers should check their homes and throw out recalled products or return them for a refund.

Who Got Sick

Those sickened ranged in age from under 1 to 85 years, with a median age of 31; 61% were female. WGS showed no predicted antimicrobial resistance in 485 of the isolates, but bacteria from three people were predicted to be resistant to one or more antibiotics, including ceftriaxone and azithromycin, and one also showed predicted nonsusceptibility to ciprofloxacin.

Jalapeños – Again

For those of us with long memories, this is not the first time Mexican jalapeños have sickened people across the country. In 2008, the Salmonella Saintpaul outbreak – first blamed on tomatoes – was ultimately traced to jalapeño and serrano peppers from Mexico after more than 1,400 people fell ill. Eighteen years later, nearly 500 people got sick, investigators arrived after the peppers were gone, and FDA could not say how the contamination happened. We are still learning about contaminated produce eaten raw, on burrito bowls and in salsa, from sick people rather than from testing before it ships.

The outbreak may be over, but for the 65 people hospitalized and the hundreds more who were sick for a week or more, the effects are not. Salmonella can lead to complications including reactive arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome long after the diarrhea stops.

See the CDC’s outbreak notice and final investigation update, the FDA’s outbreak investigation, and the FSIS public health alert for more.

Salmonella

Salmonella sickens more than a million Americans every year and is the leading cause of hospitalizations and deaths among foodborne bacteria. Its reach is remarkable—it turns up in produce, poultry, pantry staples, and pet food alike. Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, is the nation’s leading firm representing victims of Salmonella outbreaks. Our Salmonella lawyers have represented thousands of victims in the only U.S. law practice devoted exclusively to foodborne illness, which has recovered more than $850 million for victims and families nationwide. We have tied Salmonella outbreaks to cantaloupe, tomatoes, ground turkey, salami, sprouts, cereal, peanut butter, and restaurant meals, and we have brought cases against Cargill, ConAgra, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Taco Bell, Subway, and Wal-Mart. The Peanut Corporation of America outbreak ended in federal criminal convictions, with the company’s owner sentenced to twenty-eight years in prison. We are also pressing the federal government to treat Salmonella as an adulterant on raw chicken, so that contaminated poultry can be kept off store shelves the way dangerous E. coli already is.

If you or a family member became ill with a Salmonella infection—including lasting complications such as reactive arthritis or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)—after eating contaminated food, contact the Marler Clark Salmonella attorneys for a free case evaluation.

FAQ

What is Salmonella?

Salmonella is a group of bacteria behind one of the most common—and most deadly—foodborne infections in the United States, sickening more than a million people a year. Symptoms usually begin between 6 hours and 6 days after eating contaminated food and include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that last four to seven days.

What foods cause Salmonella outbreaks?

Poultry, eggs, ground beef, produce, peanut butter, flour, and even pet food have all caused outbreaks. Salmonella can survive for months in dry, low-moisture foods.

Can a Salmonella infection cause long-term problems?

Yes. Some victims develop reactive arthritis—joint pain and swelling that can persist for months—or irritable bowel syndrome after the initial illness resolves.

Who is most at risk?

Young children, adults over 65, and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to be hospitalized or to suffer severe, invasive infection.

Can I sue for a Salmonella infection?

If your illness is linked to a contaminated product or a recognized outbreak, you may have a claim against those in the chain of distribution. A stool culture matching the outbreak strain is powerful evidence.

Additional Resources:

• About Salmonella — a complete resource for victims of Salmonella outbreaks
• Marler Clark Salmonella Lawsuits and Litigation
• Downloadable Salmonella Fact Sheet