Whole Foods Pulls Jalapeño Salsas, Guacamole and Pico de Gallo in Salmonella Recall

Whole Foods has joined a growing list of major food brands and restaurant chains in pulling jalapeño products after a supplier in Mexico was identified as a potential source of a salmonella outbreak affecting at least 27 U.S. states.

The Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday that specific salsas, guacamoles, pico de gallo and prepared food items sold in Whole Foods produce and prepared foods departments are included in the recall. The affected products carry “Best Before” or “Best By” dates from Aug. 7 through Aug. 12 and from Aug. 9 through Aug. 14, and contain jalapeños sourced from Coast Citrus Distributors, according to the FDA.

Those items were sold in Whole Foods locations in Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky and Ohio. No illnesses have been reported in connection with the recalled products, and the FDA has posted a complete list of affected items on its website.

The recall stems from an investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which began identifying clusters of salmonella cases last month and traced them to jalapeño peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico. Coast Citrus Distributors agreed to recall the peppers, and several other companies followed: Chipotle, Qdoba and Taylor Farms, a company also tied to a recent cyclospora outbreak investigation, all pulled affected products. Stores that received Taylor Fresh Foods items include Hannaford, Kroger, Stop and Shop, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart and Whole Foods.

Regulators said the voluntary removals have largely contained the immediate risk. “Given their actions to remove product from their stores, FDA does not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from these establishments to consumers in this outbreak,” the FDA said.

The episode highlights how quickly a tainted ingredient can move through the nation's food supply. It also underscores the regulatory attention being paid to imported produce, particularly peppers and other warm-weather staples that are often served raw. For consumers, the main takeaway is to check any recently purchased salsas, guacamoles, pico de gallo or prepared jalapeño items against the FDA recall list.

“Nothing matters more to us than our customers' safety,” a Whole Foods spokesperson told CBS News. “Customers who purchased any of these products from us should throw them away and contact us for a refund.”

According to the Mayo Clinic, salmonella can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps within eight to 72 hours after exposure. Most healthy people recover within a few days to a week without treatment, though young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems may face more severe illness.