Chipotle pulls jalapeños from stores after salmonella outbreak in Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Chipotle is pulling jalapeños from its store after a salmonella outbreak in Minnesota. 

Minnesota salmonella outbreak

What we know:

Chipotle issued a statement saying that the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) is investigating a salmonella outbreak in the food supply chain, which is affecting "several food service retailers in Minnesota." 

The restaurant says that MDH has "no ongoing concerns" with Chipotle, but after identifying jalapeños as a potential source, they were removed and replaced with product from a different grower. 

Chipotle officials say they are cooperating with MDH during its investigation. 

Carlota Medus, Senior Epidemiologist Supervisor in the Minnesota Department of Health Foodborne Diseases Unit, says MDH is investigating a salmonella outbreak that is associated with Mexican-style quick-service restaurants. 

By the numbers:

Medus says that MDH has found 110 salmonella cases in Minnesota as part of this outbreak. 

MDH officials were able to interview 84 patients in Minnesota, and 75 reported eating at Chipotle from June 1 to July 14. 

Other cases that didn't eat at Chipotle reported eating at a "wide variety" of Mexican-style restaurants, Medus said. 

What they're saying:

Here is the whole statement from Chipotle: 

"The health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority. We are aware that public health authorities are investigating the source of a Salmonella outbreak in the supply chain impacting several food service retailers in Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed it has no ongoing concerns with Chipotle. We are cooperating with public health authorities in their efforts.

"As part of our established health and safety protocols, upon learning of a potential outbreak, we immediately initiated our ingredient traceability system and were able to identify jalapeños as a potential common ingredient from a common lot, and the restaurants where it was distributed. Out of an abundance of caution, we proactively removed the jalapeños from our restaurants and replaced them with product from different growers."

Here is MDH's partial statement: 

"Chipotle has fully collaborated on every aspect of this investigation; ranging from providing records and information about the foods they receive at their restaurants, as well as implementing mitigation steps right away to prevent further transmission, including removing the suspected jalapeños from all the restaurants that received that product.

"It is too soon for us to know if the outbreak is ongoing. Given the measures Chipotle put in place, we are not concerned about Chipotle; but it is possible that the outbreak is ongoing if the contaminated food item is being served elsewhere. We do expect the case count to increase even if the illnesses occurred a couple of weeks ago, since it takes us a while to detect cases in surveillance.

"Our investigations often start with speaking to persons diagnosed with a foodborne illness that were reported to the health department as part of our surveillance. We’d like to ask the public to please answer our calls. The information they provide is critical to solving outbreaks quickly."

What we don't know:

While the Chipotle statement indicates several restaurants are being impacted by this outbreak. FOX 9 has not confirmed that any other restaurants are impacted. 

FOX 9 has reached out to MDH for more information regarding the outbreak and what stores are impacted, and have not heard back as of this publication. 

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