Guide Note

In June of 2008, raw, red tomatoes were suspected to be a source of the salmonella outbreak across the United States. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned consumers and issued a recall of tomatoes.

On July 9, 2008, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that raw jalapeno and serrano peppers may be responsible for the outbreak.¹ On July 21, 2008, the FDA announced it had detected the Salmonella Saintpaul strain in a Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper in a Texas plant.²

Fast Facts

1. July 30, 2008: FDA finds that contaminated irrigation water in Mexico may have led to the outbreak³
2. July 21, 2008: FDA says Salmonella Saintpaul strain found in a jalapeno pepper grown in Mexico²
3. Agency warned consumers not to eat fresh jalapeno peppers²
4. FDA calls the July 21, 2008, announcement a "very important break in the case"²
5. Contaminated jalapeno pepper reportedly discovered at a packing plant in McAllen, Texas⁴
6. Salmonella outbreak began in April of 2008
7. The CDC and the FDA suspected raw, red tomatoes of carrying salmonella⁵
8. July 17, 2008: FDA declared it was safe to eat tomatoes; said the salmonella outbreak was "waning"⁶
9. Strain of salmonella: Salmonella Saintpaul⁵
10. Fresh jalapeno peppers and serrano peppers are suspected as a source of the outbreak¹
11. Those with weakened immune systems should not eat raw jalapeno peppers or raw serrano peppers⁵
12. Cilantro also being investigated⁵