NEW YORK — A multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers has sickened 345 people in 27 states, according to a CDC update dated Aug. 13, 2026. The figures reflect illnesses reported as of Aug. 4.
The CDC said 36 people were hospitalized among 291 patients for whom hospitalization information was available. No deaths have been reported. The illnesses began between June 19 and July 20, according to the agency’s investigation update. [1]
Traceback points to peppers from Sinaloa
CDC and FDA traceback work identified jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, distributed by Coast Citrus, as the likely source of the outbreak. The wording reflects an ongoing public-health investigation: the agencies identified the peppers as likely linked to the illnesses, rather than announcing a final finding beyond that designation.
The CDC’s public guidance is direct: people should not eat, sell or serve recalled jalapeño peppers. That warning applies to recalled products and is intended to help prevent additional exposure while the investigation and recall actions continue.
Whole Foods and Taylor Fresh Foods issued recalls
Whole Foods recalled products containing jalapeño peppers on Aug. 12, one day before the CDC’s update. Taylor Fresh Foods recalled jalapeño peppers on Aug. 8. Consumers and businesses should check the recall information connected with the peppers and avoid using products covered by the recalls.
The CDC’s update does not identify every product or location in the body of the investigation page. Its central instruction remains unchanged for recalled peppers: do not eat them, sell them or serve them.
Chipotle and QDOBA removed affected peppers
Chipotle and QDOBA removed affected peppers from their establishments. The CDC said there is no current ongoing risk from those establishments after the peppers were removed.
That statement addresses the peppers removed from those restaurants; it does not eliminate the CDC’s broader warning about recalled jalapeño peppers. Anyone handling recalled peppers should follow the agency’s instruction not to eat, sell or serve them.
What the CDC update means for consumers
The outbreak count gives the latest reported scale of the investigation: 345 illnesses across 27 states, with 36 hospitalizations recorded among the 291 cases with hospitalization information. The illness-onset window, June 19 through July 20, describes when reported patients began feeling sick and does not by itself indicate that exposure ended on July 20.
For now, the CDC’s practical advice is centered on recalled jalapeño peppers. Consumers, retailers and food-service operators should not eat, sell or serve those recalled peppers. The agency’s update also indicates that affected peppers were removed by Chipotle and QDOBA and that it does not see a current ongoing risk from those establishments after removal.
The CDC continues to list the outbreak as under investigation. Its update links the reported illnesses to a likely source identified through CDC and FDA traceback, while recall and removal actions address the peppers associated with the investigation.
The CDC update separates the available hospitalization information from the total illness count. Of the 345 reported illnesses, hospitalization status was available for 291 people, and 36 of those people were hospitalized. No deaths were reported in the update. Keeping those figures separate avoids treating the 291 cases with information as the full number of illnesses in the outbreak.
The reported onset dates also provide a defined time frame for the illnesses included in the update. Patients began getting sick from June 19 through July 20. The investigation’s source finding is based on traceback by CDC and FDA, which identified peppers from Sinaloa distributed by Coast Citrus as likely connected to the outbreak.
For people deciding what to do with jalapeño peppers, the most important distinction is whether a product is covered by a recall. The CDC specifically tells the public not to eat, sell or serve recalled peppers. Businesses should also account for the warning when reviewing products in their possession, while consumers should avoid using recalled items.
The restaurant actions described by the CDC provide additional context but do not replace the recall warning. Chipotle and QDOBA removed affected peppers, and the agency said there is no current ongoing risk from those establishments after removal. The broader investigation and recall advice still apply to recalled jalapeños outside those settings.
Sources
[1] CDC, “Investigation Update: Salmonella Outbreak, August 2026”
