Recalled jalapeños linked to salmonella outbreak sicken 3 in NC. What we know
Jalapeño peppers are the latest addition to the growing list of produce that health officials are warning the public to steer clear of.
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A salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños has already sickened hundreds of people in at least 27 states, including North Carolina, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
As of Friday, Aug. 7, there were 345 cases and 36 hospitalizations nationwide, recent data show. No deaths have been reported.
In an update, the CDC said affected peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, were mostly distributed to restaurants and wholesalers. Coast Citrus Distributors, a major fruit and vegetable grower, issued a recall and began notifying customers, officials said.
Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba Mexican Eats responded by pulling jalapeños from their respective menus out of an abundance of caution. In a message to customers, Chipotle said it has replaced the affected peppers with “product from different growers.”
“The health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority,” the restaurant chain said the statement posted online.
“The recalled jalapeño peppers are no longer in Chipotle restaurants and given these actions, the CDC and FDA have said they do not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from Chipotle restaurants in this outbreak.”
Officials said the FDA is also investigating if the peppers were sent to grocery stores.
North Carolina is among the more than two dozen states impacted by the ongoing salmonella outbreak. As of Friday, Aug. 7, there were three cases reported statewide, data show.
Colorado and Minnesota tied for the most cases with 110 each, according to the CDC. Illinois came in second with 30 people sickened, followed by Kansas with 13.
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However, public health officials warned those case counts stand to grow. That’s because most people recover from salmonella without treatment and don’t get tested.
“This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported,” the agency said.
Salmonella poisoning is a bacterial disease often spread through contaminated food or water, and it can cause severe intestinal illness, according to Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms can appear within six to 72 hours after exposure and may include:
Most people recover with a few days without treatment. However, experts say salmonella infection can cause “life-threatening complications” if it spreads beyond the intestines, especially in people with weakened immune systems.
To stop avoid getting sick with salmonella, the NC Department of Health and Human Services recommends taking these preventative steps:
Earlier this month, Publix expanded its recall of frozen organic fruit linked to a multi-state outbreak of E. coli O145, The Charlotte Observer reported. That particular strain is known to produce Shiga toxin, which can lead to severe stomach illness and a life-threatening kidney condition called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
Shredded iceberg lettuce supplied by Taylor Fresh Foods remains at the center of a separate recall after hundreds were sickened with cyclospora, a parasite known to cause explosive diarrhea. Two people in Michigan recently died in the outbreak as cases top more than 18,000 nationwide, the Associated Press reported.
Snack maker Utz also pulled select varieties of Zapp’s and Dirty brand potato chips last month due to possible salmonella contamination, The Observer reported. The recall involved millions of bags sold at major grocery stores including Publix, Harris Teeter and Food Lion.
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Portions of this story previously appeared in The Charlotte Observer.
This story was originally published August 7, 2026 at 11:45 AM.
