Jewel-Osco Recalls Fresh Salsa Tied To Salmonella Outbreak

You've heard the expression, “When it rains, it pours.”

Well, when it comes to food recalls and foodborne illness warnings lately, I think we've officially moved past the pouring part and are headed for the flooding.

Just when you thought you could safely make yourself a salad, eat some lettuce or enjoy a little fresh salsa without worrying about it, along comes another recall. This time, it's salmonella, and some of the recalled products were sold right here in Illinois.

Salsa Lovers Should Be Paying Attention

Jewel-Osco has recalled two fresh salsa products: Chefs Kitchen Fresh Salsa and Ready Meals Fresh Salsa. They were sold in Illinois, Indiana and Iowa, with sell-through dates ranging from July 31st through August 10th. The salsas contain jalapeños that were recalled because of their connection to an ongoing salmonella investigation.

And it doesn't stop at Jewel.

The FDA has announced a broader recall involving products made with the same potentially contaminated jalapeños. In Illinois, that includes several Whole Foods products, including Salsa Fresca, Pico de Gallo, Salsa Roja and Pineapple Mango Salsa, along with other products sold at Walmart and Kroger.

In addition to the warning from Jewel, the FDA issued an alert Sunday that Taylor Fresh Foods is recalling finished products containing jalapeños as well.

In Illinois, products include (hat tip to Patch.com):

Freshness Guaranteed Hot (or Spicy) Pico De Gallo Spicy 10 oz sold by Walmart; UPC 681131276351
Freshness Guaranteed Mild Pico De Gallo 10oz sold by Walmart; UPC 681131276344
Whole Foods Salsa Fresca Medium 12oz, UPC 030223075080
Whole Foods Pico de Gallo Mild 10oz; UPC 030223075097
Whole Foods Pico de Gallo Spicy 10oz; UPC 030223075608
Whole Foods Salsa Roja Medium 12oz; UPC 030223075639
Whole Foods Salsa Roja Medium 12oz; UPC 030223075646
Whole Foods Pineapple Mango Salsa Mild 10oz; 030223075653
Kroger Spicy Jarlsberg Dip 10oz; UPC 030223114826
Kroger Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip 10oz; UPC 030223116448

A bowl of food sitting on top of a blue table — Photo by Khanh Nguyen on Unsplash

Here's Why Health Official Are Taking This So Seriously

The salmonella outbreak linked to the jalapeños has sickened 345 people in 27 states, with 36 people hospitalized as of the latest federal update cited by Illinois officials. No deaths have been reported. The likely source is a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, whose jalapeños entered the U.S. food supply through distributors.

So, what should you do?

If you've recently bought fresh salsa, pico de gallo or another recalled product, make sure that you check the label before eating it. If it's on the recall list, don't taste it to see if it's okay. Throw it away or return it to the store for a refund.

And if you're thinking, “Didn't we just do this with lettuce?”

Yep. That's what makes this latest recall feel less like an isolated incident and more like we're standing in the middle of a food-safety downpour.

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Gallery Credit: Stacker

Filed Under: Illinois food recalls