Taylor Farms Recalls Jalapeño Products Amid Ongoing Cyclospora Crisis
The recall of jalapeño-containing goods follows a Salmonella outbreak that has sickened at least 345 people across 27 states, compounding regulatory and reputational challenges for the California-based producer as it manages a record-breaking Cyclospora incident.
Taylor Farms has issued a recall for a wide range of jalapeño-containing products, including diced peppers, dips, salsas, pico de gallo, guacamole, and prepared foods such as burritos and sandwiches. The recall, announced on Sunday, August 9, affects items sold across 26 US states at major retailers including Walmart, Target, Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and Hannaford. The affected products contain jalapeños sourced from Coast Citrus Distributors, which US regulators have identified as the origin of a multi-state Salmonella outbreak.
The Salmonella outbreak, which began reporting illnesses on June 19, has infected at least 345 people across 27 states, resulting in 36 hospitalisations. No deaths have been reported in connection with this specific outbreak. The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified Coast Citrus Distributors as the source on Wednesday, August 5. Investigators traced the contaminated peppers to farms in Sinaloa, Mexico. Coast Citrus has been distributing the peppers to various food distributors, restaurants, and food service companies, and is currently working to identify and contact affected customers.
Outbreak investigators interviewed 191 cases, with 177 reporting consumption of food at Mexican-style restaurants. Major chains Chipotle and Qdoba ceased using jalapeños from Coast Citrus on July 20 and July 28, respectively. It remains unclear why Taylor Farms required several days to confirm the presence of the recalled peppers in its own product lines, though the company has not yet publicly clarified the timeline of its internal identification process.
This recall occurs against the backdrop of a separate, massive Cyclospora outbreak linked to Taylor Farms’ Mexican-grown iceberg lettuce. The parasite has caused over 22,723 cases nationwide this year, a figure that significantly exceeds the typical annual range of 2,000 to 5,000 cases. The Cyclospora outbreak has resulted in more than 500 hospitalisations and two deaths, with cases distributed to at least 27 states. Taylor Farms, based in Salinas, California, is a major fresh produce distributor in the US.
The company has faced intense scrutiny regarding its handling of the Cyclospora outbreak. Taylor Farms has revised its public statements multiple times, including a disputed claim that the FDA had apologised to the company, which the regulator denied. Critics have also pointed to the company’s vague recall information, which has omitted specific retailer names and volumes. Additionally, reports indicate that Taylor Farms donated to the MAGA, Inc. super PAC shortly after the administration delayed an FDA rule on food supply chain tracing, and that the company contacted the White House to attempt to delay the issuance of a recall for its lettuce.
