Organic jalapeño peppers, at the Farmers Market, Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by: Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Read more Flight canceled after toddler refused to buckle seat belt, stranding passengers overnight
A recent Salmonella outbreak that has made hundreds sick across 27 states has spurred a new public health alert for multiple meat and poultry items sold at major grocery and convenience store chains.
Big picture view:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) issued the alert on Saturday, explaining that the affected meat and poultry products contain jalapeños that may have been contaminated with Salmonella.
What they’re saying:
The FSIS cautions that this list likely does not include all downstream products that used the recalled jalapeños; the list is just the ones that have been identified so far. The agency expects to learn about more products and plans to continue updating its tracker of the affected downstream products that fall under its purview.
Why you should care:
On Wednesday, the FDA reported that 345 people nationwide have been infected with Salmonella in connection with the multistate outbreak attributed to the jalapeños.
Read more Police-involved shooting leaves gunman and victim dead inside Houston parking garage
RELATED: Jalapeños linked to Salmonella outbreak in 27 states; Chipotle & Qdoba affected
The FSIS, however, noted that none of those cases or any others have been associated with the products on the list released on Saturday.
What you can do:
The FSIS expressed concern that some of the products on its list may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Anyone who discovers they purchased one of the products is advised not to eat them or serve them. The items should be returned or thrown away.
Read more Houston weather: Scattered rain, high heat ahead of dry mid-week trend