A growing list of food recalls is raising questions for shoppers across Texas as health officials investigate outbreaks involving Cyclospora and Salmonella.
Iceberg lettuce, eggs and jalapeños have all been linked to recent illnesses, prompting recalls and public health alerts involving products sold at major retailers, including H-E-B, Trader Joe’s, Kroger, Target, Walmart and Whole Foods.
Doctors, however, are urging consumers not to stop eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
Dr. Wesley Long with Houston Methodist said the benefits of eating produce still outweigh the risk of contracting illnesses such as Cyclospora.
“So certainly it’s safe to eat produce, fresh fruits and vegetables,” Long said.
Long said the recent outbreaks are caused by different organisms and can contaminate food in different ways.
Salmonella is a bacteria that can be found in humans and animals and may contaminate eggs, produce and other foods through fecal material during production, handling or processing.
Cyclospora, on the other hand, is a microscopic parasite that infects humans. Produce can become contaminated through water or other exposure to human fecal material during growing, harvesting or processing.
Because many fruits and vegetables are eaten raw, contaminated produce may reach consumers without going through a cooking step that could otherwise kill certain germs.
Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is continuing to investigate a Cyclospora outbreak linked to iceberg lettuce.
Taylor Farms de Mexico voluntarily removed all iceberg lettuce sourced from central Mexico from the U.S. market in July because of possible Cyclospora contamination. Federal health officials have advised consumers not to eat recalled lettuce.
Cyclospora typically causes watery diarrhea. Other symptoms can include loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, increased gas, nausea and fatigue. Some patients may also experience vomiting, body aches, headaches or fever.
Texas routinely sees Cyclospora cases during the warmer months. The Texas Department of State Health Services says Cyclospora season typically runs from May through August.
Texas health officials have reported 98 Cyclospora cases this season, according to the latest state figure provided to KPRC 2.
Salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeños
Meanwhile, federal health officials are investigating a multistate Salmonella outbreak linked to fresh jalapeño peppers.
The FDA says the affected jalapeños were distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors. Taylor Fresh Foods subsequently recalled a number of finished products containing the affected peppers.
The recall includes a wide variety of ready-to-eat foods, including:
- Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Dips
- Salads
- Sandwiches
- Prepared meals
Some affected products were distributed in Texas through major retailers including Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and Walmart.
The FDA’s current jalapeño outbreak page lists products with use-by or best-by dates extending into mid-August, meaning consumers are being urged to check refrigerators even if they purchased the food several days ago.
H-E-B products included in federal public health alert
Several prepared meals sold at H-E-B are also included in a federal public health alert involving the recalled jalapeños.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service listed the following H-E-B products:
- H-E-B Shake Rattle Bowl Southwest Chicken
- Higher Harvest for H-E-B Chicken & Beef Chimichurri
- Higher Harvest for H-E-B Creamy Cilantro Chicken
- Meal Simple Pork Carnitas Bowl
- Meal Simple Chicken & Rice with Cilantro Jalapeño Sauce
The affected products have varying use-by dates between Aug. 3 and Aug. 15, depending on the item.
The products are part of a public health alert, rather than a separate H-E-B-originated contamination event. FSIS issued the alert because the meat and poultry products contain FDA-regulated jalapeños that were recalled due to possible Salmonella contamination.
Consumers who still have affected products in their refrigerators or freezers should not eat them.
Trader Joe’s recalls Fiesta Salad with Shrimp
Trader Joe’s is separately recalling 668 packages of Fiesta Salad with Shrimp because the product contains salsa that may have been prepared with the recalled jalapeño peppers.
The affected product is:
Trader Joe’s Fiesta Salad with ShrimpSKU: 81837Use-by dates: Aug. 7, 2026 through Aug. 12, 2026
The salads were sold in Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.
The FDA’s outbreak list confirms the Trader Joe’s product was distributed in Texas.
Trader Joe’s says the recall is being conducted out of an abundance of caution and that no illnesses associated specifically with the salad have been reported.
Customers who have one of the affected salads should throw it away or return it to Trader Joe’s for a refund.
Egg recall also tied to Salmonella
The FDA is also investigating a separate Salmonella outbreak involving eggs.
Federal health officials have advised consumers to check refrigerators for recalled shell eggs produced by Midwest Poultry Services and either throw them away or return them to the place of purchase for a refund.
That outbreak is separate from the jalapeño investigation.
Why are healthy foods becoming contaminated?
Long said the contamination routes vary depending on the organism involved.
“For Salmonella, again, it’s found in animals and humans. It can infect hens and infect chickens that are laying eggs. That can be one way they can be infected,” Long said. “It can be with animal feces coming in contact with the eggs during processing, during handling.”
Cyclospora contamination is different.
“In the case of Cyclospora, it’s exclusively a human parasite. So it’s only associated with human feces,” Long said.
He said contaminated groundwater, irrigation water or contamination during harvesting and processing can lead to Cyclospora ending up on produce.
Should you stop eating fresh produce?
Long says no.
Despite the number of recent recalls, he stressed that consumers should not become afraid of the produce aisle.
“The Salmonella outbreak by comparison is much, much smaller compared to the Cyclospora outbreak,” Long said.
He also said federal investigators have made significant progress identifying the sources of the recent illnesses.
“I think the most important thing for people to know about both of these outbreaks is that, by and large, we’ve now identified the sources that led to them,” Long said.
He expects the number of Cyclospora cases to decline as the typical seasonal period comes to an end.
“Now that we’re entering August, we should start to see both of these issues resolve over the coming weeks into September, just naturally,” Long said.
What consumers should do
Health officials recommend checking products against current FDA and USDA recall notices before eating them.
If a food matches a recall, consumers should not eat it. They should throw it away or return it to the place of purchase.
Consumers should also clean and sanitize surfaces or containers that may have come into contact with recalled food, particularly recalled lettuce.
People who develop persistent diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps or other concerning symptoms after eating a recalled product should contact a health care provider.
Long’s message to consumers is to stay informed without abandoning healthy foods.
“We shouldn’t have to worry about jalapeños or our eggs or our produce,” Long said. “As long as you’re cooking everything really well, we should be fairly safe going forward.”