Grocery retailers across the US have pulled jalapeño peppers from their shelves following confirmation from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that one jalapeño sample was a positive match for the Salmonella strain that was responsible for the outbreak in the US and Canada.
Leading California grocery chains Albertsons and Ralphs Grocery Co have both now removed raw jalapeño peppers from their stores and are advising consumers to avoid eating jalapeño and serrano peppers and the foods that contain them, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Houston Chronicle has reported that supermarket groups Wegmans Food Markets and Publix Super Markets have also pulled jalapeño from their shelves.
According to the FDA, the Salmonella Saintpaul strain was identified in one Mexico-grown jalapeño pepper at the McAllen, Texas distribution plant of produce importer Agricola Zaragoza. However, the agency has said it could not confirm whether the contamination took place in Mexico or at the US facility.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has found that many, but not all, of the people who have become ill during the outbreak had reported eating jalapeño or serrano peppers.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) said that as Agricola Zaragoza does not export produce to Canada, it would not be issuing a jalapeño recall at this time.
Since April, 1,279 persons infected with Salmonella Saintpaul with the same genetic fingerprint have been identified in 43 US states and Canada.
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