A Salmonella outbreak involving contaminated jalapeño peppers has sickened 345 people in 27 states. The peppers were sent to Chipotle and QDOBA locations nationwide, including restaurants in Texas.
Need a Texas Salmonella Lawyer? Collen A. Clark is a true advocate for his clients and is passionate about helping Texans that have been injured or wronged. If you got sick after eating jalapeño peppers at Chipotle or QDOBA this summer, contact our lawyers immediately. You may be entitled to compensation by filing a lawsuit.
Coast Citrus Distributors Linked to Multistate Salmonella Outbreak
In August 2026, the FDA and CDC announced a multi-state outbreak of Salmonella Javiana illnesses that were linked to fresh jalapeño peppers. The peppers were grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed in the U.S. by Coast Citrus Distributors.
How Did Health Officials Discover This Outbreak?
Investigators used the CDC’s PulseNet system to match DNA fingerprints from sick people nationwide. This investigation identified a cluster of people who were sickened with a strain of E. coli bacteria with genetic similarity. That pattern told officials that the people in the cluster probably got sick from the same food source.
State and local health departments then interviewed 191 people about what they ate before falling ill. Of those, 177 (93%) said they ate at a Mexican-style restaurant. There were 27 separate illness clusters traced to Chipotle and QDOBA locations in 7 states.
What Is the Salmonella Risk?
Salmonella Javiana can cause serious gastrointestinal illness. Symptoms typically appear 12 to 72 hours after exposure and can last four to seven days. The symptoms may include:
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Abdominal cramps
- Vomiting
- Potentially more serious complications
Where Were They Sold?
Coast Citrus Distributors supplied the recalled jalapeños to wholesalers, restaurants and food service companies nationwide, not directly to grocery stores. Chipotle switched jalapeño suppliers for its restaurants beginning July 20, 2026, and QDOBA stopped serving jalapeños on July 28, 2026.
How Many People in Texas Got Sick?
Nationally, 345 illnesses have been confirmed across 27 states, with 36 hospitalizations and no deaths reported as of Aug. 4, 2026. Health officials have not published a state-by-state breakdown identifying how many of those cases occurred in Texas.
Both Chipotle and QDOBA operate dozens of locations across Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Austin, and Coast Citrus Distributors shipped the recalled jalapeños to restaurants and food service companies nationwide
Legal Help for Salmonella Victims in Texas
Texans who got sick after eating at an affected restaurant this summer may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. A Texas food poisoning lawyer can help you understand your legal options.
Need a Texas Jalapeño Salmonella Lawsuit?
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