FDA Upgrades Recall to Class I After 500,000+ Refrigerated Foods Linked to Jalapeño Salmonella Outbreak

More than half a million refrigerated foods have been escalated to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's highest-risk recall category after federal investigators linked jalapeño peppers to a multistate Salmonella Javiana outbreak.

What Happened

NatureBest Precut & Produce LLC first announced a voluntary recall on August 8, 2026, after being notified by Coast Citrus Distributors that certain jalapeños they supplied were subject to a recall. On September 16, 2026, the FDA reclassified the NatureBest recall as a Class I recall — the agency's most serious designation — indicating a reasonable probability that consuming the affected products could cause serious adverse health consequences or death.

Products Affected

The recalled items were distributed to retail customers in Texas and Louisiana between July 3 and August 5, 2026. They are primarily ready-to-eat refrigerated products made with the implicated jalapeños, including:

NurPhoto / Getty Images

• NatureBest Soup Mix
• Multiple varieties and sizes of NatureBest and H-E-B Pico de Gallo (mild, medium, hot, mango)
• Diced jalapeños (NatureBest and H-E-B)
• NatureBest Mild Cheddar & Jalapeño Stuffed Mushrooms and H-E-B Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms

The FDA recall notice includes many lot codes and use-by dates (some into August 2026). Consumers should check product labels and lot information rather than relying on brand names alone. Reporting on the updated recall indicates the Class I classification covers 62,856 cases of each of eight products, putting the total affected items into the hundreds of thousands.

Scope Of The Outbreak And Traceback

As of August 19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 431 infections with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Javiana across 32 states, with 57 hospitalizations and no deaths reported. Illness onset dates ranged from June 19 through August 2. Federal traceback and epidemiological work identified jalapeños grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors — with a common grower in Sinaloa named as the likely source.

Because the jalapeños moved through growers, distributors, restaurants and foodservice operations, additional recalls have been issued for downstream prepared foods (salsas, guacamole, dips, sandwiches, salads, burritos, bowls, soup mix and other ready-to-eat items).

More Than Half a Million Soups, Salsas and Dips Recalled in FDA's Highest-Risk Salmonella Alert.FDA.

Health Risks And Symptoms

For most healthy people, Salmonella infection causes several days of diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps. Symptoms typically begin 12 to 72 hours after exposure and usually last 4 to 7 days. Young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for severe illness. Rarely, Salmonella can invade the bloodstream and cause invasive infections such as arterial infections, endocarditis or joint and bone infections — the risk that motivates a Class I designation.

Advice For Consumers

The FDA and CDC advise consumers not to eat recalled jalapeños or any foods that contain them. Recommended actions:

• Check product labels, lot codes and use-by dates against the FDA recall notice.
• Discard recalled items or return them to the place of purchase per recall instructions.
• Do not taste-test questionable products — contaminated food usually looks, smells and tastes normal.
• Thoroughly clean surfaces, utensils and containers that may have contacted the peppers with hot, soapy water or a dishwasher.
• If you develop symptoms consistent with salmonellosis (diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps), contact your healthcare provider, especially if you are in a high-risk group.

Investigation Status

NatureBest’s affected products have been removed from distribution, but the broader investigation is ongoing. Federal officials continue to trace distribution chains and determine whether further downstream products should be recalled. Restaurant chains that identified use of the implicated peppers — including Chipotle and QDOBA — removed them from service after notification and were not considered to pose an ongoing risk after removal.

Bottom line: If you purchased refrigerated Pico de Gallo, diced jalapeños, soup mix or stuffed mushrooms from NatureBest or H-E-B with relevant lot codes/use-by dates, check the FDA notice and discard or return any recalled items. Clean any potentially contaminated surfaces and seek medical advice if you develop symptoms.