If you became ill after eating at Chipotle, QDOBA or another restaurant that used the recalled jalapeños, our Salmonella lawyers can review what happened.
CDC and FDA identified jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors as the source of this Salmonella Javiana outbreak. CDC reports 488 illnesses in 34 states, 65 hospitalizations and no deaths, and declared the outbreak over on October 2, 2026. These are whole-outbreak figures, not counts of Chipotle customers alone.
Does My Meal Fit This Outbreak?
Interviewed patients reported Mexican-style restaurant meals between June 14 and July 29, 2026, including meals at Chipotle and QDOBA. Reported illnesses began June 16 through August 26. Those are investigation findings, not a deadline for requesting a legal review.
Investigators found 36 illness clusters at 31 Chipotle locations in seven states and five QDOBA locations in two states. Neither agency has published a complete list of affected restaurants or a case total for each chain. People may not know whether jalapeños were mixed into a salsa or another ingredient.
Tell us where and when you ate, when symptoms began and what care you received. Available receipts, card statements and app orders can help. Our QDOBA page covers that chain’s involvement.
Which Products Were Recalled?
Coast Citrus Distributors began a limited recall on July 22, 2026 and expanded it on August 5 to all remaining implicated peppers. The Class I recall covers bulk jalapeños packed July 1 through July 31 in generic Coast Tropical packaging. The distributor is no longer importing from the common grower identified by investigators. FDA says the recalled fresh peppers are no longer for sale and are past shelf life.
Affected peppers also went into foods sold at retail stores, so this is not only a restaurant exposure. Some of those products have longer shelf lives. FDA lists recalls from NatureBest Precut & Produce, Taylor Fresh Foods, Salata Dressings, Whole Foods Market and Dairyland Produce. FDA’s jalapeño recall list provides the specific products, dates and package labels.
USDA also issued an alert for meat and poultry products containing the peppers. It reported no confirmed illnesses from those USDA-regulated products. A recalled ingredient or product is not proof that every food containing it caused an illness.
Do not eat recalled peppers or foods made with them. CDC says to discard or return them. Keep available receipts and label photos, not unsafe food for a potential claim.
Is the Outbreak Over?
Yes. CDC declared the outbreak over on October 2, 2026, and FDA closed its investigation. FDA said it could not determine how the peppers became contaminated.
During the investigation, CDC and FDA said they did not consider there to be a current ongoing risk from Chipotle or QDOBA. Chipotle began switching suppliers for affected restaurants on July 20, and QDOBA stopped using jalapeños on July 28.
The end of the public-health investigation does not resolve the losses of someone who already became ill. The investigation and a person’s potential injury claim are separate matters.
Can I Sue Chipotle for Salmonella?
A claim may involve a restaurant, Coast Citrus Distributors or another responsible company in the supply chain. Our team can review the exposure and medical evidence and explain what additional records may help. A lawsuit must establish responsibility for your illness, not simply that you ate at a named restaurant.
Court records include these filings relevant to this outbreak: Behne v. Chipotle Mexican Grill in Minnesota on August 5, Nance v. Coast Citrus Distributors in Illinois on August 14, and Trujillo v. Qdoba Restaurant Corp. in the Southern District of California on September 10. A filing is not a finding of liability. These are not lawsuits filed by Ron Simon & Associates.
Our firm represented victims in earlier Chipotle food-poisoning litigation. In 2020, Chipotle agreed to a $25 million federal fine over outbreaks that sickened more than 1,100 people between 2015 and 2018. That government fine was not compensation paid to our clients and does not decide this outbreak’s claims. Our Chipotle brand page explains that separate history.
What Losses Can a Claim Address?
Depending on the evidence and applicable law, compensation may cover medical bills, hospital care, lost income, out-of-pocket costs, and pain and suffering. Lasting complications also matter. For example, Salmonella can lead to reactive arthritis, with joint pain that lasts beyond the initial illness.
In CDC’s August 19 state count, Minnesota and Colorado had the most cases, followed by Illinois. Our Minnesota, Colorado and Illinois pages explain our work in those states. We review inquiries nationwide, including from people who live outside the reported outbreak states.
