Kristen Behne Sues Chipotle Over Salmonella Outbreak Linked to Tainted Jalapenos
Kristen Behne filed a lawsuit against the Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle after a salmonella outbreak linked to tainted jalapenos caused her to suffer a life-threatening septic bloodstream infection. The outbreak, which has sickened at least 345 people across 27 states, originated from jalapenos grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have identified the salmonella strain as the source of the illness, which typically manifests as diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. While 36 people have been hospitalized, no deaths have been reported. Chipotle and QDOBA have both removed the affected peppers from their menus to mitigate the risk. The administration announced that the investigation remains ongoing, and the FDA is currently determining if the recalled peppers were distributed to grocery stores. Consumers are advised to discard any affected jalapenos at home.