Chipotle Mexican Grill has removed jalapenos from some of its restaurants following a salmonella outbreak investigation. The company announced on Tuesday that it voluntarily pulled the peppers after becoming aware of the investigation and has replaced them with products from different growers while officials work to identify the source of the outbreak. Chipotle did not specify how many restaurants were affected or the original supplier of the jalapenos.
The Minnesota Department of Health is investigating the outbreak, which has been linked to several quick-service restaurants. They have reported 110 illnesses, with many patients indicating they ate at Chipotle between mid-June and mid-July. However, officials noted that not all illnesses are directly associated with Chipotle, and other restaurants may have received the contaminated ingredient.
The Food and Drug Administration is conducting a traceback investigation to determine the origin of the contamination. Minnesota health officials have stated that they no longer believe the removed jalapenos pose an ongoing risk, but they cautioned that the outbreak could persist if contaminated jalapenos are still present in other establishments.