Chipotle pulls jalapeños from some restaurants as health officials investigate salmonella outbreak

CHICAGO (AP) — Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants, after determining the peppers could potentially be tied to a salmonella outbreak public health officials are investigating.

In a brief statement, Chipotle maintained that the “health and safety of our guests and employees is our highest priority” — and that it was aware of authorities investigating the source of a salmonella outbreak impacting several food service retailers.

The company added that it had pulled the jalapeños out of an abundance of caution and “replaced them with product from different growers.” It did not specify how many of its restaurants were impacted, or where the previous peppers had come from.

The Minnesota Department of Health on Tuesday confirmed that it was investigating a salmonella outbreak tied to several Mexican-style, quick-service restaurants — with jalapeños as the suspected source. Officials identified 110 cases in the state. Chipotle made up the majority of those where they were able to reach impacted consumers for an interview — who ate at the chain between mid-June and mid-July — but not all.

“Based on all the evidence so far, the food that made people sick was served at other restaurants as well,” Carlota Medus, senior epidemiologist supervisor in the MDH's Health Foodborne Diseases Unit, said in a statement.

Medus added that Chipotle had been cooperative over the course of the investigation — and that given the measures the company had put in place, his department was not concerned about the chain at this time. Still, he said that it was “too soon for us to know if the outbreak is ongoing” and that it's possible contaminated food is being served elsewhere.

Minnesota's Health Department noted that other states are contributing to the investigation, without elaborating further. And on the federal level, MDH added that the Food and Drug Administration is conducting the traceback probe, covering but not limited to jalapeños.

The FDA did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for further information Tuesday.

Shares of California-based Chipotle Mexican Grill plunged more than 9% in afternoon trading.