Experts quickly solve salmonella mystery linked to Taylor Farms

Embattled Taylor Farms has issued a new voluntary recall for products containing jalapeños, including burritos, salsa and guacamole, among other items, amid concerns they could be contaminated with salmonella bacteria.

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The recall was announced Sunday as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to investigate an ongoing outbreak of salmonella that has infected at least 345 people and led to 36 hospitalizations in 27 states. One person in California has been sickened during the outbreak, according to the CDC.

The outbreak was linked to jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors, according to the CDC. Already, chains Qdoba and Chipotle Mexican Grill have stopped serving the recalled peppers. 

In a statement, it was no longer purchasing items from the grower identified as a potential source of the outbreak.

The Salinas-headquartered Taylor Farms is already under scrutiny after federal officials linked its iceberg lettuce supplied from Mexico to a large outbreak of cyclospora that has sickened at least 6,358 people and has been linked to two deaths.

While the cause of the cyclospora outbreak remained a mystery for weeks, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said identifying the cause of the recent salmonella outbreak may have been easier for investigators.

Schaffner said salmonella symptoms appear usually within a day or two of exposure, whereas the incubation period for cyclospora can last up to two weeks.

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“It’s much easier for affected people to recall what they ate, and then the disease detectives can put things together,” Schaffner told SFGATE of salmonella cases. Additionally, unlike cyclospora, all salmonella cases are required to be reported to state and federal officials, meaning each case is investigated by health officials.

During investigations, salmonella bacteria from infected individuals are genetically sequenced and added to a national data base so CDC officials can find matching cases across state lines quickly. 

“You can match the the genomic fingerprint, the microbial fingerprint, and you can determine very quickly that we’re dealing with a single common source,” Schaffner said.

Symptoms of salmonella infection include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, diarrhea and fever. They show up about six hours to six days after infection and often resolve in about a week. In severe cases, the bacteria can spread from the gastrointestinal tract into the blood, causing dangerous sepsis-like symptoms, including lowered blood pressure and high fever. Treatment for salmonella includes rest, fluids and supportive care, along with antibiotics for severe cases.

The full list of recalled foods from Taylor Farms can be found on the FDA website.