A salmonella outbreak, linked to jalapeños, that began on on July 22nd, expanded to 27 states yesterday. Federal health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak tied to jalapeños that has sickened 345 people. The jalapeños were supplied by California-based Coast Citrus Distributors and sourced from Mexico, the CDC said. They were served at Chipotle, Qdoba and other restaurants. Chipotle and Qdoba say they have removed the jalapeños from their restaurants. Meanwhile, a massive cyclosporiasis outbreak
linked to shredded iceberg lettuce and responsible for hundreds of hospitalizations and two deaths since early May, has expanded to an additional six states. The majority of the cases have been traced to lettuce at Taco Bell that was supplied by Taylor Farms and sourced from central Mexico. Taylor Farms Cyclospora Hub.
Recommendations for food safety include:
- Check Your Fridge: Review current advisories for specific brands or lot codes of bagged iceberg lettuce and commercial eggs.
- Do Not Eat Recalled Food: Throw away or return any implicated products. When in doubt about a label or source, discard it.
- Wash Produce Properly: Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly under running water. Scrub firm produce like melons or cucumbers with a clean brush. Note that washing reduces but does not completely eliminate Cyclospora.
- Cook When Possible: Heating food to at least 158°F effectively destroys the Cyclospora parasite.
- Prevent Cross-Contamination: Use separate cutting boards for raw meats/eggs and ready-to-eat produce, and wash hands frequently with soap and warm water.