A widening salmonella outbreak traced to jalapeño peppers has now prompted a recall from Whole Foods, which confirmed Wednesday that it is pulling certain produce and prepared foods from store shelves. The affected items contain fresh jalapeños supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors and carry “Best Before” dates ranging from August 7 through August 16, 2026.
The recall applies to a range of products, including select salsas, guacamole, pico de gallo, and other prepared meals. These were sold in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio. A full list is available on the FDA’s website.
According to the FDA, no illnesses have been reported in connection with the Whole Foods items specifically. However, the company’s action comes in the wake of a broader national outbreak that has already affected 345 people and led to 36 hospitalizations across 27 states, as confirmed by federal health officials.
A Whole Foods spokesperson noted that the recall was triggered because the jalapeños originated from Coast Citrus Distributors, which had previously issued its own recall. Some of the same products were also included in a Taylor Fresh Foods recall announced last Sunday. Prior to Whole Foods’ announcement, the USDA had already issued a public health alert for at least 18 ready-to-eat meat and poultry products linked to the same supply chain from Sinaloa, Mexico.
The outbreak has touched multiple major brands and retailers beyond Whole Foods. Federal regulators have identified Taylor Farms, Deli Kitchen, H-E-B’s Higher Harvest and Meal Simple brands, Marketside, Wawa, Albertsons, Randalls, Tom Thumb, and Hannaford among those affected. Restaurant chains Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA also received contaminated jalapeños from Sinaloa, according to officials. Chipotle switched suppliers at impacted locations starting July 20 and is no longer using the implicated peppers, while QDOBA halted all jalapeño use across its restaurants as of July 28, 2026
The illnesses linked to this outbreak are reported to have begun between June 19 and July 20, 2026. Consumers who purchased any of the recalled Whole Foods products are urged to either discard them or bring a valid receipt to any Whole Foods Market store for a full refund.
