Qdoba and Chipotle Pull Jalapenos Amid Growing 27-State Salmonella Outbreak

Health officials are warning consumers about a rapidly growing Salmonella outbreak that has sickened nearly 350 people and hospitalized dozens across 27 states, including California.

The surge in cases has prompted restaurant chain Qdoba to proactively remove jalapeno peppers from all of its locations nationwide out of an abundance of caution. The decision follows a similar move earlier in the week by rival chain Chipotle, after state health departments identified more than 100 people infected with Salmonella in Minnesota, with a majority reporting they dined at Chipotle before getting sick.

In a statement, Qdoba emphasized that guest and employee health and safety remain its highest priority as public health authorities continue their investigation.

Federal investigators with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration tied the outbreak to jalapeno peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by California-based Coast Citrus Distributors. Officials confirmed that the distributor has agreed to recall the peppers, and federal agencies are working to determine whether the affected produce reached grocery store shelves.

Food safety experts caution that tracing the full origin of the contamination will take time. Dr. Donald Schaffner, a food science specialist at Rutgers University, noted that federal regulators will inspect facilities and distribution channels to determine exactly how the contamination occurred.

The Salmonella outbreak is the latest in a series of food safety scares impacting restaurants and consumers across the country. Health officials continue to track a nationwide Cyclospora outbreak linked to contaminated lettuce served at Taco Bell, which has resulted in more than 10,000 confirmed infections and two deaths. Taco Bell has since removed the affected lettuce from its inventory.

The financial and operational fallout from recurring produce contamination is rippling through the restaurant industry. Regional salad chain Salad and Go, which operates locations across Arizona and Nevada, recently filed for bankruptcy, citing declining customer traffic as nervous diners avoid fresh lettuce and produce over health concerns.

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