The Stafford Costco on Network Drive pulled bags of Hardie's Fresh Foods jalapeños from its shelves after the peppers were traced to the same contaminated supply chain behind a multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak. The outbreak has sickened 345 people across 27 states. The five-pound bags came from San Diego-based Coast Citrus Distributors, the sole importer linked to the outbreak.
That same supply chain triggered a separate recall at NatureBest Precut & Produce LLC, which operates a facility in Missouri City. NatureBest voluntarily recalled products made with Coast Citrus jalapeños, according to an FDA recall notice posted Aug. 14.
H-E-B pulls 54 items
H-E-B confirmed 54 items were removed from shelves, including NatureBest-branded and H-E-B-branded products distributed to Texas and Louisiana retailers between July 3 and Aug. 5.
The recalled items go well beyond whole peppers. They include multiple varieties of pico de gallo, diced jalapeños, jalapeño popper stuffed mushrooms, guacamole, caldo soup kits, shrimp ceviche, imitation crab ceviche, Mexican-style shrimp cocktail, street corn salad, jalapeño pimento cheese spreads, tortas and cheese ball snack trays.
H-E-B said all recalled products have been removed from its shelves and that items currently available are safe.
345 cases, no deaths
The FDA and CDC said their outbreak investigation, published Aug. 14, pointed to a common grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, that supplies Coast Citrus. The agency said Coast Citrus agreed on Aug. 6 to recall the implicated peppers and stop importing from that grower.
As of Aug. 14, the CDC reported 345 confirmed Salmonella Javiana infections and 36 hospitalizations nationwide. No deaths have been reported. Illnesses began as early as June 19 and continued through July 20. Colorado and Minnesota had the highest concentration of cases, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Of 191 people interviewed, 177 reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant in the week before getting sick. The CDC identified 27 illness clusters at Chipotle Mexican Grill and QDOBA locations across seven states.
"The liability belongs where the pepper entered the food supply," food safety attorney William D. Marler told the Food Poison Journal on Aug. 14, noting that roughly 162 individual products across multiple companies have been traced to peppers handled by Coast Citrus.
What to do
Residents who purchased any of the recalled products should not eat them. Discard them or return them to the store.
Anyone who ate at a Mexican-style restaurant in June or July and experienced fever, diarrhea or abdominal cramps should ask their doctor for a stool culture, Marler advised. Salmonella infections can be especially serious for young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems.
Consumers can reach NatureBest at (713) 278-0425, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or email [email protected]. H-E-B's consumer line is 855-432-4438, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
