As investigators examine a salmonella outbreak in Minnesota that has sickened 110 people, Chipotle said it has removed certain jalapeños from its restaurants.
The move suggests a broader food-safety concern that may extend beyond one chain, as officials say the suspected ingredient may also have been served at other Mexican-style restaurants.
What happened?
Investigators in Minnesota believe jalapeños served at Mexican-style quick-service restaurants may be connected to the growing salmonella outbreak, TODAY.com reported. Chipotle said it took the potentially contaminated peppers out of its stores and swapped in products from other growers.
Among the 84 people interviewed in the investigation, 75 — or 89% — reported eating at a Chipotle between June 14 and July 14, according to Carlota Medus, senior epidemiologist supervisor at the Minnesota Department of Health's foodborne diseases unit, in a statement to NBC News cited by TODAY.com.
Investigators also found that people who got sick without eating at Chipotle had dined at other Mexican-style restaurants, indicating the problem may reach beyond a single chain.
According to TODAY.com, Laurie Schalow, Chipotle's chief corporate affairs and food safety officer, said the peppers under scrutiny came from a common lot distributed to food service retailers across multiple states. Meanwhile, the Food and Drug Administration is testing ingredients to identify the source, and jalapeños remain among the possible culprits.
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Why does it matter?
Salmonella infections can be dangerous. Common symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever, chills, headache, and blood in the stool.
Symptoms typically appear within about three days of eating contaminated food and usually clear up within a week, though some digestive problems can last much longer.
TODAY.com reported that young children, older adults, pregnant people, and immunocompromised people face a higher risk of serious complications.
Food-safety incidents like this reflect a broader reality of industrial food production: When one contaminated ingredient moves through a shared supply chain, it can affect many restaurants at once.
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What's being done?
Chipotle said it moved quickly once the outbreak came to light. In an Aug. 4 statement, the company said, "As part of our established health and safety protocols, upon learning of a potential outbreak, we immediately initiated our ingredient traceability system and were able to identify jalapeños as a potential common ingredient from a common lot, and the restaurants where it was distributed."
The company added, "Out of an abundance of caution, we proactively removed the jalapeños from our restaurants and replaced them with product from different growers." Chipotle also said, "The health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority."
Public health officials are still working to determine the full scope of the problem. Medus said other states are contributing to the investigation, and it is still too early to know whether the outbreak is still ongoing.
As Medus noted, "the food that made people sick was served at other restaurants as well."
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