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Jalapeño Peppers from Mexico Recalled

Peppers linked to Salmonella outbreak; tomatoes cleared

By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

July 22, 2008

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Agricola Zaragoza, Inc. of McAllen, Texas, is recalling jalapeño peppers distributed since June 30th, 2008 because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella, an organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune system.

In the end, these peppers — not tomatoes — may have been responsible for making more than 1,200 consumers sick. The recall is a result of sampling by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which revealed that these jalapeño peppers were contaminated with the same strain of Salmonella Saintpaul responsible for the current Salmonella outbreak.

The jalapeño peppers, distributed to customers in Georgia and Texas, were shipped in 35lb. plastic crates and in 50lb. bags with no brand name or label.

The FDA said the salmonella was found on a single pepper at a produce distribution center in McAllen, Texas. The pepper was grown on a farm in Mexico. However, that does not mean that the pepper was contaminated in Mexico, the FDA said.

"Since a recall will not immediately remove all potentially contaminated peppers from the food supply, FDA is also asking consumers to avoid eating raw jalapeño peppers or foods made from raw jalapeño peppers until further notice in order to prevent additional cases of illness," the agency said. "This recommendation does not include cooked or pickled jalapeño peppers."

Critics blame Bush

The Center for Science in the Public Interest contends that the problem in tracking the source of the outbreak can be laid directly at the feet of the Bush administration.

"In 2003, food industry lobbyists had special behind-closed-doors access when the Bush Administration was vetting new anti-bioterrorism regulations aimed at protecting the food supply from intentional contamination," said CSPI Food Safety Director Caroline Smith DeWaal. "Provisions stripped from the regulations, like requirements for distributors to record lot or code numbers, and requirements for record availability in 4 to 8 hours, might have been helpful nailing down this Salmonella outbreak much earlier."

CSPI is calling on Congress to step in and "enact meaningful FDA reform legislation," and give FDA "strong traceback authority, mandatory process control systems all the way back to the farm, and mandatory recall."

It is not known at this time which, if any, of the more than 1,200 illnesses reported to date are related to this particular product or to the grower who supplied this product.

Distribution of these products has been suspended while FDA, the Texas Department of State Health Services and the company continue their investigation as to the source of the problem.

Healthy people infected with Salmonella often experience fever, diarrhea (which may be bloody), nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Salmonella can result in the organism getting into the bloodstream and producing more severe illnesses such as infected aneurysms, endocarditis and arthritis.

Consumers and retailers who purchased jalapeño Peppers should contact their supplier to determine if their products are involved in the recall. Commercial manufacturers that have used these recalled jalapeño Peppers as an ingredient in other products (i.e. salsas, etc.) are encouraged to contact their local FDA office to determine if these products should be recalled.

Additionally, restaurants, retail food stores, and similar retail institutions that have used these jalapeño Peppers as a garnish or as an ingredient to prepare entrees, salsas or other products are asked to dispose of these products making sure that all such peppers are not inadvertently made available for purchase, salvage or donation and therefore preventing any possibility for human or animal consumption.

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