A Minnesota woman, Kristen Behne, is suing Chipotle after she says a burrito bowl eaten on June 24 contained jalapeños linked to a Salmonella outbreak that led to sepsis. Federal investigators tied the outbreak to jalapeños imported from Mexico, with 345 infections and 36 hospitalizations across 27 states. Chipotle says it removed the affected peppers and switched suppliers; the FDA says there is no ongoing risk from the chain. Behne seeks more than $75,000 and reports ongoing health risks from the infection.
Woman Sues Chipotle, Says Burrito Bowl Contained Salmonella-Linked Jalapeños That Led To Sepsis
Woman with sepsis sues Chipotle after eating bowl she claims had salmonella-linked peppers
A Minnesota woman has filed a lawsuit against Chipotle, alleging that a burrito bowl she ate contained jalapeño peppers linked to a multi-state Salmonella outbreak that left her hospitalized with sepsis.
Kristen Behne says she dined at a Chipotle in Roseville, Minnesota, on June 24 and fell ill three days later. According to the complaint filed on her behalf, she developed fever, a rapid heart rate and sepsis — a life-threatening complication the suit attributes to a Salmonella strain connected to the chain's food.
Outbreak Linked To Jalapeños
Federal public-health officials have traced the outbreak to jalapeño peppers imported from Mexico and distributed to Mexican-style restaurants in the U.S., including Chipotle and Qdoba. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 345 confirmed infections across 27 states and 36 hospitalizations tied to the outbreak; no deaths have been reported.
A woman who was hospitalized with sepsis has sued Chipotle after eating a burrito bowl she claims had salmonella-linked jalapeño peppers (Getty Images)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says illnesses began around June 19. Of nearly 200 people interviewed during the investigation, 93% reported eating at a Mexican restaurant prior to falling ill, with some naming Chipotle or Qdoba.
Allegations, Company Response And Supply Changes
Behne's attorneys say laboratory testing found that the Salmonella strain recovered from her matched the outbreak strain. The lawsuit states:
“Ms. Behne did nothing wrong. She could not have inspected her food for Salmonella; the pathogen is invisible, odorless, and tasteless. She relied on Chipotle’s representations that its food was safe to eat, and those representations were false.”
Chipotle said it prioritized guest and employee safety and used its traceability systems to identify and remove the affected jalapeños from impacted restaurants. The company said it began switching suppliers for affected stores on July 20. Qdoba stopped serving the implicated peppers about a week later. The FDA has said it does not believe there is an ongoing risk from Chipotle or Qdoba now that the affected jalapeños have been removed.
Over 300 people have been infected with Salmonella from jalapeño peppers sourced from Mexico, according to federal health officials (Getty Images)
Patient Details And Legal Claim
According to the complaint, Behne first experienced fever, chills and vomiting on June 27, briefly lost consciousness while registering a 102°F temperature, and the next day suffered more than 10 episodes of diarrhea in 24 hours. She was admitted to the hospital on June 28 and discharged two days later.
The suit states she continues to experience aftereffects from the acute Salmonella infection and her septic episode, and faces an increased risk of complications such as reactive arthritis and post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome. Her lawsuit seeks more than $75,000 in compensatory damages.
Related Foodborne Outbreaks
The report also notes a separate, much larger Cyclospora outbreak this summer tied to Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce sold at Taco Bell. Officials say that outbreak has infected more than 10,000 people nationwide, hospitalized over 500, and resulted in two deaths among patients with underlying conditions.
What to watch: public-health updates from the CDC and FDA, any further testing results, the status of Behne’s lawsuit, and whether additional restaurants or suppliers are implicated.
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