Taylor Farms has issued a recall of multiple refrigerated prepared foods that contain jalapeño peppers after federal investigators linked the peppers to a Salmonella javiana outbreak. The recall covers items sold at major U.S. retailers and follows a broader probe by the FDA into illnesses tied to fresh jalapeños distributed from Mexico.
What was recalled
Recalled items include salsa, guacamole, pico de gallo, dips, burritos, sandwiches and other prepared foods containing the implicated jalapeños. Retailers that received affected products include Whole Foods, Walmart, Target, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Stop & Shop and Hannaford. Taylor Farms has posted product-specific UPCs and date codes on its recall page; the recalled products carry Best If Used By dates up to and including August 16, 2026.
Source and distribution
FDA investigators traced the contaminated jalapeños to Sinaloa, Mexico, and identified Coast Citrus Distributors as a distributor of those peppers. Taylor Fresh Foods, which manufactures Taylor Farms products, has said it will no longer source jalapeños from Coast Citrus and is switching to alternative suppliers. Several fast-casual chains, including Chipotle and Qdoba, also removed the peppers from their menus out of caution.
The recalled Taylor Farms products were distributed to retail locations in 26 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.
Illnesses and government action
As of August 10, federal agencies reported about 345 people sickened and 36 hospitalizations linked to the Salmonella outbreak. The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service also issued a public health alert for certain meat and poultry products that contained the recalled jalapeños.
Health and safety guidance
– Check product packaging for UPC and date information listed in the recall. If a product matches the recalled identifiers, throw it away or return it to the retailer for a refund. Do not eat, taste, rinse, or try to remove jalapeños from recalled products.
– After handling a recalled item, wash your hands thoroughly and clean and sanitize refrigerators, countertops, cutting boards, utensils, and containers that may have been exposed. The FDA recommends washing surfaces first, then sanitizing to reduce cross-contamination.
– Keep refrigerators at or below 40°F and refrigerate perishable foods promptly. Follow the 2-hour rule for perishable foods (1 hour when ambient temperatures exceed 90°F).
– Appearance, smell, or taste cannot be relied on to detect Salmonella; contaminated food can look and smell normal.
Medical symptoms and when to seek care
Common symptoms of Salmonella infection include diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting. Symptoms can appear within hours to several days after exposure and often last about 4–7 days. Most people recover without specific treatment, but young children, adults 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness.
Seek medical attention if you have bloody diarrhea, a fever above 102°F, signs of dehydration, worsening abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, or inability to keep fluids down.
Expert perspective
Infectious disease and public health experts emphasize that the concern is limited to the specific jalapeño-containing products and the lot codes listed in the recall, not all Taylor Farms products. Consumers should check packaging carefully and follow recall instructions.
Background
This is the second recent recall involving Taylor Farms and fresh produce; the company was previously connected to an earlier cyclospora investigation that led to a recall of iceberg lettuce. The current Salmonella investigation remains active, and consumers should monitor FDA and Taylor Farms recall notices for updates.