Taylor Farms recalls jalapeno products after salmonella outbreak
Food producer Taylor Farms is recalling a swathe of its fresh products containing jalapeno peppers after a salmonella outbreak.
The agricultural giant, which said it made 40% of all salad kits sold in the US last year, said it would recall around 20 products such as dips and sandwiches from retailers including Walmart, Target and Whole Foods.
The company said it was not aware of any illnesses linked to the products but that it was withdrawing them across 26 US states.
It comes after some Taylor Farms' lettuce was recently linked to an outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that causes explosive diarrhoea, that has affected thousands of people.
The jalapeno recall came after Coast Citrus Distributors, which supplied the company with its peppers, recalled its own fresh jalapeno because of the salmonella concerns.
Taylor Farms said a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, had been identified as the source of the outbreak and that it "is no longer sourcing products from this farmer and will be filling orders from alternative suppliers".
"Consumers who have any recalled product should discard it immediately and not consume it. Refunds are available at the location of purchase," it added.
Eating food contaminated with salmonella usually leads to illness within 12 to 72 hours, external. Symptoms include diarrhoea, fever and stomach pain, according to the US Food and Drug Administration.
The recall includes products such as pico de gallo salsa, several types of guacamole, burritos, spicy sandwiches and fresh sliced jalapenos.
Taylor Farms was already under scrutiny after it recently recalled its iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico because of the unusually large cyclosporiasis outbreak.
That had made more than 22,000 people ill since 1 May, as of a 4 August update from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The food-borne illness has spread to 45 states and Michigan health officials confirmed the first two deaths linked to the outbreak last week.
Taylor Farms is one of the largest produce companies in the US and is an important supplier to retail giants Walmart, Costco and Target.
It also supplies restaurant chains including Taco Bell and McDonald's and employs more than 25,000 people.
UK health officials have also warned about the cyclosporiasis outbreak following recent cases contracted by returning travellers.