Aug 9 (Reuters) – Taylor Farms on Sunday said it was recalling more than a dozen prepared food items containing jalapeños, including salsas and guacamole, from retailers over concerns about potential salmonella contamination.
The California-based supplier said it had voluntarily recalled products containing jalapeño peppers tied to a recall by Coast Citrus Distributors and was “no longer” sourcing peppers from a farmer in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplied Coast Citrus while it seeks alternative suppliers.
The recall comes as U.S. health authorities investigate a Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers imported from Mexico that earlier this week had sickened 345 people across 27 states and led to 36 hospitalizations.
Restaurant chains including Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA received the affected peppers and have since stopped using them, while Coast Citrus recalled the remaining product and notified customers.
Taylor Farms is unaware of any reported illnesses linked to the voluntarily recalled items, the statement added.
Salmonella infections can cause diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps and can be particularly severe in young children, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.
The recall comes amid heightened scrutiny of food safety in the restaurant industry following an outbreak of the parasitic disease cyclosporiasis linked to iceberg lettuce served at Taco Bell restaurants, and renewed attention on Chipotle’s past foodborne illness outbreaks.
(Reporting by Abu Sultan in Bengaluru; Editing by Nick Zieminski)