USDA Warns Jalapeño Meat and Poultry Products May Carry Salmonella

The USDA has issued a public health alert for prepared meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños potentially contaminated with Salmonella. The wider outbreak has caused 345 illnesses and 36 hospitalizations across 27 states.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service has issued a public health alert for prepared meat and poultry products containing recalled jalapeños that may be contaminated with Salmonella.
The alert was issued after the Food and Drug Administration informed FSIS that several federally inspected establishments had received a recalled jalapeño ingredient.

These businesses used the peppers in prepared foods containing chicken, beef or other meat products, widening the investigation beyond fresh jalapeños and Mexican-style restaurants.

A public health alert is not the same as confirmation that every listed product is contaminated or has caused illness. However, FSIS is urging consumers not to eat the affected products because of the potential risk.

Recalled Ingredient Reached Ready-to-Eat Meals

The jalapeños involved in the investigation were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed in the United States by Coast Citrus Distributors.

FDA traceback work identified a common grower in Sinaloa as the likely source of the wider outbreak. Coast Citrus Distributors agreed to recall the remaining implicated peppers and began contacting wholesalers, restaurants and food-service customers.

The FSIS alert covers downstream products made with that recalled ingredient. These include salads, prepared meals, wraps and other refrigerated foods containing meat or poultry.

The peppers were incorporated into finished foods before the ingredient recall was announced, creating concern that some products may still be held by consumers or retailers.

Product List May Grow as Supply-Chain Checks Continue

FSIS initially identified 18 products affected by the public health alert. Brands appearing on the agency’s product list include Marketside, Taylor Farms, Ready Meals, Meal Simple, Higher Harvest, Deli Kitchen and RaceTrac.

Affected products were distributed through retailers including Walmart, Kroger, Dillons, H-E-B, RaceTrac, Albertsons, Randalls, Tom Thumb, Hannaford and Wawa.()

Distribution covered multiple states, although not every product was sold by every retailer or in every affected location. Consumers should therefore check the precise product name, package size, use-by date and establishment number against the official FSIS product list.

FSIS said it expects additional downstream products to be identified as the ingredient recall progresses. The official list may consequently change as investigators trace where the jalapeños were used.

Salmonella Outbreak Spreads Across 27 States

As of August 5, the outbreak had caused 345 confirmed illnesses across 27 states. Thirty-six people had been hospitalized, while no deaths had been reported.

Illnesses began between June 19 and July 20. Because identifying cases, interviewing patients and linking infections to an outbreak can take time, the reported total may not represent every person affected.

The states reporting cases were Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.()

The outbreak strain has been identified as Salmonella Javiana.

Restaurant Illness Reports Lead Investigators to Sinaloa

Of 191 patients interviewed by health officials, 177—or approximately 93%—reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant before becoming ill.

Restaurants mentioned during the investigation included Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA. Both companies received jalapeños imported by Coast Citrus Distributors from the implicated growing region.()

Chipotle changed suppliers at affected restaurants beginning July 20, while QDOBA stopped using the jalapeños on July 28. The FDA says neither restaurant chain is considered an ongoing outbreak risk following the removal of the affected peppers.

The traceback investigation subsequently led officials to the common grower in Sinaloa and revealed that the ingredient had also reached companies producing prepared retail foods.

Salmonella Symptoms and High-Risk Warning Signs

Salmonella commonly causes diarrhoea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea or vomiting within six hours to six days of exposure. Most people recover within a week, but medical care is recommended for bloody diarrhoea, high fever, persistent vomiting or signs of dehydration.()

Children under five, adults aged 65 or older and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of severe illness and should promptly contact a healthcare professional if symptoms develop after consuming a recalled product.()

No Confirmed Illnesses Tied to Listed Meat and Poultry Products

FSIS said there had been no confirmed reports of illness caused specifically by the meat and poultry products included in its public health alert.

This distinction is important. The wider Salmonella outbreak has been linked to recalled jalapeños, but investigators have not confirmed that the listed FSIS-regulated prepared foods caused any of the reported cases.

The alert is precautionary because the products contain an ingredient implicated in the outbreak. Removing them from sale and consumers’ homes could prevent additional infections while the supply-chain investigation continues.

People should not assume that illness has been confirmed from a particular brand or finished product unless federal health agencies announce such evidence.

Refrigerators and Freezers May Still Hold Affected Food
FSIS is concerned that some affected products may remain in household refrigerators or freezers. Consumers should compare any prepared salads, wraps or meals containing jalapeños and meat or poultry with the official product list.

Affected products should not be eaten, even if they look or smell normal. Salmonella contamination cannot reliably be identified through appearance, smell or taste.

Consumers should:

• Throw affected products away or return them to the place of purchase
• Prevent children and animals from accessing discarded food
• Clean and sanitize shelves, containers and surfaces touched by the product
• Wash their hands after handling recalled food or packaging
• Avoid serving or selling any listed product

Retailers should remove affected products from sale and regularly check the FSIS alert for additions to the product list.

Federal Agencies Continue Tracing the Affected Jalapeños

FDA, CDC, FSIS and state and local health departments continue tracing the affected jalapeños through distributors, restaurants, food-service businesses and manufacturers.

Further products may be added as officials determine how the recalled ingredient moved through the supply chain. Consumers and retailers should therefore rely on the latest federal notices rather than screenshots or older versions of recall lists.()

The outbreak remains under investigation, and the case count, distribution information and list of affected products may change.

References:

1. FSIS Issues Public Health Alert for Various Meat and Poultry Products Containing FDA-Regulated Jalapeños That Have Been Recalled Due To Possible Salmonella Contamination- (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/fsis-issues-public-health-alert-various-meat-and-poultry-products-containing-fda-0)
2. Symptoms of Salmonella Infection- (https://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/signs-symptoms/index.html)
3. People at Increased Risk for Food Poisoning- (https://www.cdc.gov/food-safety/risk-factors/index.html)

Source-Medindia