A recall of more than half a million soups, dips and salsas over salmonella concerns has been classified at the highest risk level – meaning consumption of the products could cause death.
NatureBest Precut & Produce, which operates facilities in Texas, initially recalled the products on Aug. 8 over a widespread salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers supplied by Coast Citrus Distributors.
On Wednesday, the Food & Drug Administration labeled it a Class I recall, meaning “there is a reasonable probability that the use of or exposure to a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
The recall includes NatureBest- and HEB-branded products like Soup Mix, Stuffed Mushrooms, Diced Jalapeño and Pico De Gallo in several flavors, including Mild, Medium, Hot and Mango, all of which contain the potentially hellacious jalapeños.
The recalled products were distributed to retail partners in Texas and Louisiana between July 3 and Aug. 5.
NatureBest voluntarily initiated the recall after it was notified by Coast Citrus Distributors of the potentially tainted peppers.
A multistate outbreak of salmonella linked to jalapeño peppers has so far sickened 345 people across 27 states, according to the FDA and CDC.
In August, Whole Foods also recalled a slew of its products that contained jalapeños sourced from Coast Citrus, and Chipotle pulled the peppers from its stores.
NatureBest said it has stopped distribution of the impacted products. Consumers who purchased the items should immediately discard them or return them to the place of purchase.
Salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, especially in vulnerable populations like children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.
Common symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. In rare cases that are more serious, the bacteria can enter the bloodstream and cause arterial infections, endocarditis and arthritis.
Just last week, the CDC officially declared the largest-ever outbreak of cyclosporiasis over, after the feds received reports of almost 20,000 lab-confirmed cases of infection through tainted lettuce throughout the country.
There were two deaths and 1,064 hospitalizations in the outbreak, according to the Centers for Disease Control an prevention. The contagion was was linked to lettuce supplied by Mexico-based Taylor Farms, and Taco Bell removed lettuce from the supplier from its menus.