Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) removed jalapeños from select U.S. restaurants after identifying the peppers as a potential link to a salmonella outbreak under investigation by public health officials.
The company stated that the “health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority” and replaced the jalapeños with product from different growers across all affected locations.
Chipotle spokesperson Laurie Schalow said the company has “a robust ingredient traceability system” and proactively identified jalapeños as a potential common ingredient from a shared lot upon learning of the outbreak.
The Minnesota Department of Health confirmed it is investigating a salmonella outbreak tied to several Mexican-style quick-service restaurants, with jalapeños identified as the suspected source.
Health officials identified 110 cases in Minnesota, and among 84 patients interviewed, 75 reported eating at Chipotle between June 14 and July 14, with others reporting visits to different Mexican-style restaurants.
Carlota Medus, senior epidemiologist supervisor in the MDH’s Health Foodborne Diseases Unit, stated: “Based on all the evidence so far, the food that made people sick was served at other restaurants as well.”
Medus also noted that “Chipotle has fully collaborated on every aspect of this investigation; ranging from providing records and information about the foods they receive at their restaurants, as well as implementing mitigation steps right away to prevent further transmission, including removing the suspected jalapeños from all the restaurants that received that product.”
Despite praising Chipotle’s cooperation, Medus cautioned that it is “too soon for us to know if the outbreak is ongoing” and that contaminated food may still be served elsewhere.
The Food and Drug Administration confirmed it initiated a traceback investigation “of multiple ingredients” on July 22, responding to a salmonella illness cluster identified by both state officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) plunged nearly 10% Tuesday, with the stock tumbling to approximately $34.09 and erasing gains made at the end of July.
The sharp stock decline reflects investor concern that the outbreak recalls Chipotle’s troubled history, during which the burrito chain was implicated in at least five separate foodborne illness outbreaks between 2015 and 2018.
Chipotle responded to those earlier crises by adding more employee training, expanding sick days, and launching an enhanced food safety program that transformed the company into what is now considered an industry leader on food safety.
The latest outbreak arrives as the restaurant industry already contends with fallout from a separate cyclospora outbreak linked to shredded lettuce that has sickened thousands of Americans nationwide.
Chipotle has not been tied to the cyclospora investigation but is among the chains expecting lower sales as consumer confidence in fast-casual dining takes a broader hit.
Symptoms associated with salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration, and stomach cramps, according to health officials monitoring the ongoing investigation.
