Jalapeno Salmonella Lawsuit

Fresh jalapeno peppers have been linked to a Salmonella outbreak with at least 345 people sickened in dozens of states, including 36 people who were hospitalized.

What You Can Do & How We Can Help

The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Salmonella food poisoning cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know got sick with Salmonella after eating salsa, guacamole, dip or other products that were recalled because the jalapenos were linked to an outbreak, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.

What Happened?

Taylor Fresh Foods and other companies have announced recalls for ready-to-eat foods made with fresh jalapenos, including salsas, guacamole, sandwiches, and other products. The products were recalled because they contain fresh jalapeno peppers that may be contaminated with Salmonella.

The jalapenos were recalled by Coast Citrus Distributors in response to an outbreak of Salmonella Javiana illnesses. Coast Citrus Distributors also supplied fresh jalapeno peppers to Chipotle, QDOBA, and other restaurants. The jalapenos were used in refrigerated foods sold at Whole Foods, Walmart, Trader Joe’s, Albertsons, and other grocery stores.

Quick Facts About The Taylor Farms Recall

Recalled by: Taylor Fresh Foods of Salinas, California
Products: 20 refrigerated salsas, guacamoles, dips, sandwiches, and prepared foods made with fresh jalapenos
Recall date: August 9, 2026
Where sold: Hannaford, Kroger, Stop & Shop, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Whole Foods in 26 states
Dates to check: “Best if used by” August 7 through August 16, 2026
Hazard: Possible contamination with Salmonella Javiana traced to a jalapeno grower in Sinaloa, Mexico
Outbreak size: No illnesses specifically linked to Taylor Farms products, but the jalapenos have been linked to 345 confirmed infections in 27 states, 36 hospitalizations, 0 deaths
What to do: The FDA says to discard the product and not eat it. Refunds are available where you bought it.
Official source: FDA recall notice

What Was Recalled and When?

In August 2026, Taylor Fresh Foods voluntarily recalled 20 pre-made grocery store items that contain fresh jalapeno pepper ingredients. The recall was announced in response to a recall by Taylor Farms’ jalapeno supplier, a company called Coast Citrus Distributors, in response to an outbreak of Salmonella.

The recalled items were sent to 7 grocery stores operating in dozens of states, including:

Hannaford
Kroger
Stop & Shop
Target
Trader Joe’s
Walmart
Whole Foods.

Several were sold under store-brand names rather than Taylor Farms. For example, Walmart items were sold under the Freshness Guaranteed brand-name. Kroger’s sandwich was sold under the Private Selection brand-name. Also, the recall includes 6 types of Whole Foods salsas, as well as Trader Joe’s shrimp salad, which have no Taylor Farms branding at all.

How Was the Outbreak Discovered?

The outbreak was discovered when health officials noticed several clusters of people who had all been infected with a similar strain of Salmoenlla Javiana, which suggests a common food-source was making people sick.

Health officials interviewed 191 people about what they ate before getting sick, and 177 reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant. Further investigation identified 27 illness clusters at Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA locations in 7 states.

The FDA then traced the jalapenos back through the distribution supply chain to a single grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, which supplies jalapenos to a company in the U.S. called Coast Citrus Distributors.

How Many People Got Sick?

The Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapenos has sickened at least 345 people in 27 states as of August 4, 2026. Of those people, 36 were hospitalized, which is 12% of the 291 patients for whom hospitalization information was available. No deaths have been reported. The illnesses began on dates between June 19 and July 20, 2026, and the median age of patients is 30.

What Are the Symptoms?

Symptoms of Salmonella usually include diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, and they typically begin within hours to a few days of eating contaminated food. Most otherwise healthy adults get better within a week without treatment.

The CDC identifies these as signs of severe Salmonella illness:

High fever accompanied by diarrhea
Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days that is not improving
Bloody stools
Vomiting so persistent that fluids cannot be kept down
Signs of dehydration, such as reduced urination, dry mouth and throat, or dizziness when standing

Who Is Most at Risk?

In a small number of cases the infection moves out of the intestines and into the bloodstream, where it becomes far more dangerous. The FDA describes the danger in the recall notice:

“Salmonella, an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems.”

Has Anyone Filed a Lawsuit Over the Jalapeno Outbreak?

Yes. A complaint was filed in the U.S. District Court in Minnesota on August 6, 2026 naming Chipotle Mexican Grill as the defendant. The plaintiff, a Minnesota woman, alleges that she ate a chicken burrito bowl in late June, lost consciousness and developed sepsis within days, and required hospitalization. She is seeking damages of more than $75,000.

What Should I Do If I Got Sick?

Keep the packaging if you still have it. The UPC and the “Best if used by” date printed on a container of salsa are what connect an illness to a specific recalled lot, and they are almost always thrown away before anyone realizes they matter.

Save your receipt, your loyalty card purchase history, and any medical records or lab results from the illness. A confirmed stool culture is the strongest documentation a food poisoning claim can have, though it is not the only kind.

Refunds are available at the store where the product was bought. Consumer questions go to 855-455-0098 on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific, and the FDA outbreak investigation page is where new case counts get posted.

Do I Have a Jalapeno Salmonella Lawsuit?

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