FILE -- Chipotle image. (Mike Mozart/Flickr/CC BY 2.0)
Chipotle announced Tuesday that it is removing jalapeños from some of its restaurants amid the ongoing salmonella outbreak as a precaution.
The company released a statement saying they were able to identify jalapeños as a potential common ingredient possibly connected to the outbreak that is affecting the supply chain of several food service retailers in Minnesota.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we proactively removed the jalapeños from our restaurants and replaced them with product from different growers,” a portion of the statement read.
Company officials said the restaurant’s ingredient traceability system helped identify the potentially compromised peppers from a single lot and where they were distributed.
However, the restaurants where the possibly contaminated peppers were distrubed to was not immediately released.
Reuters reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is leading a traceback investigation to identify the source, with evidence suggesting the contaminated food item appears to have also been served at other Mexican-style restaurants.
A spokesperson for Chipotle continued, stating that the Minnesota Department of Health has confirmed it has no ongoing concerns with the chain and that the health and safety of its guests and employees remains its highest priority.
According to Minnesota health officials, the state identified 110 Salmonella cases tied to the outbreak. Among the 84 people who were interviewed after developing symptoms, 75 reported eating at Chipotle from June 14 to July 14, The Wall Street Journal reported.
Salmonella is a leading cause of foodborne illness in the United States and can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.