Last week, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that jalapeno peppers are at least one source of the salmonella outbreak that was originally attributed to tomatoes. A Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper at a small produce distribution center in McAllen, Texas tested positive as a genetic match with the Salmonella Saintpaul strain implicated in the current outbreak. As a result, the FDA has issued a warning against eating fresh jalapeno peppers and any foods made with them. The warning doesn't apply to processed, cooked, or pickled jalapenos.

Agricola Zaragoza Inc., the produce distribution center where the positive sample was found, has voluntarily recalled all jalapeno peppers that have been distributed since June 30, 2008. Although the peppers were grown in Mexico, FDA investigators are not sure where in the distribution chain the contamination occurred. Further investigation into other peppers and a definitive source of contamination are ongoing. Although tomatoes were initially blamed for the salmonella outbreak which has affected over 1200 people nationwide, none of the 1700 tomato samples collected by the FDA were contaminated with the Saintpaul strain of salmonella.