It’s not just the ongoing cyclospora outbreak that consumers need to be worried about.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now confirmed that there are not one but two significant multistate outbreaks of Salmonella linked to completely different types of food.
The outbreaks span more than 30 states combined, and in total have now caused more than 60 individuals to be hospitalized. Here’s what you need to know.
Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs
The first significant Salmonella outbreak is linked to eggs.
As Fast Company previously reported, nearly 1.6 million cartons of eggs, totaling about 19 million individual eggs, were recalled last month due to fears they could be contaminated with the potentially deadly bacterium.
The eggs were produced by Midwest Poultry Services and shipped to numerous grocery retailers in states around the country.
In its most recent update on the egg-linked Salmonella outbreak from July 24, the CDC said there have been a total of 98 cases linked to the outbreak. A high proportion of those individuals—26 people—required hospitalization.
- What foods to avoid: According to the recall notice posted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), more than 30 egg products are covered under the recall. You can find a list of the recalled egg products here. Brands include Kroger, Simple Truth, Brookshire’s, Cal-Maine, and Country Morning.
- Sold at: Kroger, Brookshire Grocery, and other grocery stores in select states.
- States where people were infected: The CDC says that the egg-linked Salmonella outbreak has sickened individuals who live in 17 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and West Virginia.
Salmonella outbreak linked to Jalapeños
The CDC notified the public about the second Salmonella outbreak yesterday. This outbreak differs from the first in that it is believed to be linked to jalapeño peppers.
According to the August 5 notice posted by the CDC, the source of the outbreak has been linked to jalapeños from Sinaloa, Mexico, that were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.
The outbreak has so far sickened 345 individuals, according to the CDC. Of those cases, 36 people have required hospitalization.
The impacted jalapeños appear to have been “primarily distributed to restaurants or wholesale,” the CDC says. However, the agency notes that the FDA is also working to determine if the jalapeños were also sold at any grocery stores.
The affected jalapeños were reportedly distributed to fast-casual food chains including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba. The CDC says these chains have stopped serving jalapeños affected by the issue.
“Given their actions to remove product from their stores, CDC and FDA do not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak,” the CDC notice states.
- What foods to avoid: Jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, that were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors
- Distributed to: Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba locations, and other restaurants and wholesale. Agencies are still working to determine whether the jalapeños were sold in grocery stores.
- States where people were infected: The CDC says that the egg-linked Salmonella outbreak has sickened individuals who live in 36 states, including Alabama, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
What should I do if I have the affected products?
Health agencies generally instruct consumers of any recalled product not to consume it and, if possible, to dispose of it or return it to its place of purchase.
If you think you may have consumed any of the recalled products, you should keep an eye out for symptoms of Salmonella, which the CDC says include but are not limited to: diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps.