Salmonella Contamination Prompting Recall of Mexican Jalapeños

An ongoing federal health inquiry has tied a Salmonella outbreak across 27 states to Mexico-sourced jalapeños supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors, resulting in 345 illnesses—with South Carolina recording 5, North Carolina 3, and Georgia 6—and sending 36 individuals to the hospital. As Coast Citrus recalls the shipment, national chains such as Chipotle have proactively removed jalapeños from participating stores, while public health authorities urge consumers to check pepper origins, discard flagged batches, and scrub potentially contaminated kitchen surfaces. Those exposed usually experience abdominal pain, fever, and bowel issues beginning six hours to six days after ingestion, with illness typically running its course in under a week.