NEW YORK (AP) — Jalapeño peppers linked to a multistate salmonella outbreak have been traced back to a grower in Sinaloa, Mexico, federal officials say.
At least 345 people in 27 states have been reported getting sick from the salmonella strain linked to the jalapeños. Most have been in Minnesota and Colorado. No deaths have been reported, but officials say 36 people have been hospitalized.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the chili peppers were moved into the U.S. by Coast Citrus Distributors. The company has recalled the peppers and is notifying its customers, which include some prominent Mexican food restaurant chains, officials said.
Coast Citrus Distributors didn't immediately respond to a Thursday voicemail seeking comment.
The Food and Drug Administration said that of the 191 people interviewed in the outbreak investigation, 177 — or 93% — reported eating at a Mexican-style restaurant, including Chipotle Mexican Grill and Qdoba, from June 14 to July 14.
Chipotle Mexican Grill said Tuesday that it had removed jalapeños from some of its restaurants. Qdoba on Wednesday said the company had proactively removed jalapenos from all of its restaurants.
“Given their actions to remove product from their stores, neither of these establishments are considered a current ongoing risk to consumers in this outbreak,” CDC officials said in a statement.
The FDA is investigating whether any of the jalapeños went to grocery stores. The agency may announce additional actions on its recalls webpage, health officials said.
Salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections in the United States every year, and outbreaks have been tied to sources such as cucumbers, eggs, unpasteurized milk, fresh basil, geckos and pet bearded dragons.
Within hours or days of being exposed to the bacteria, infected people can suffer from diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. The illness usually lasts four to seven days, and most people recover without treatment.
Young children, retirement-age adults and people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for more severe illness, according to the CDC.
Shares of Chipotle, based in Newport Beach, California, tumbled nearly 10% on Tuesday and have not recovered. A number of fast-casual chains like Chipotle have seen less foot traffic from middle- and lower-income customers due to broader inflation in the U.S., and recent headlines about foodborne illnesses may be another negative.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
FILE - The Chipotle logo is displayed at a store, Aug. 13, 2025, in Newton, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Sarah Hodel and Rachel Koehler arrived at Robin Roberts Stadium more than four hours before the first game of the Women's Professional Baseball League. Once inside, Hodel stopped periodically for pictures as she walked along the concourse.
She wanted to savor every moment.
“Back in high school I was on my speech team and my informative speech was on women in baseball,” said Hodel, a 43-year-old athletic trainer from Duluth, Minnesota. “So as soon as I saw this happening a couple years ago it was my goal to come.”
That moment finally arrived on Saturday night, when Mo’ne Davis and the Los Angeles Queens rallied for a 10-8 victory over Denae Benites and the New York Heights in a rainy debut for the first women's professional baseball league in the United States in almost 30 years.
“Growing up I played softball,” said Koehler, 33, of St. Paul, Minnesota. “I wanted to play baseball because going professional was always like the dream, but there (were) no opportunities. ... So now that that’s actually an opportunity and something that girls can look up to I think is amazing.”
Maggie Foxx picked up the league's first hit on a two-run single for Los Angeles in the first inning. Benites connected for the WPBL's first homer, a solo drive to center in the bottom of the fourth.
The Queens trailed 8-4 before scoring two runs in the sixth and four more in wet and windy conditions for the final frame of the seven-inning contest.
“When I walked on the field I started crying because of how much this moment meant, and how much it meant to everybody,” Foxx said. “It means everything to us.”
A steady rain fell for much of the day, soaking the 101-year-old home of the WPBL's inaugural season. But much of the crowd of more than 4,000 started lining up hours before the game, hoping to grab a Davis bobblehead on the way to the metal bleachers.
The line for the main merchandise booth stretched all the way to the outfield along one side of the ballpark.
“Having a daughter, it’s really exciting to give her exposure to female professional athletes,” said Antonietta Mabry, 47, an accountant from Columbus, Ohio. “It’s such a rare thing, so it’s really cool to give her some really positive female role models and examples.”
Mabry was accompanied by her husband, Jason, a 48-year-old auditor, and their daughter, Rosalee. The 9-year-old Mabry got her glove autographed by San Francisco second baseman Amanda Gianelloni.
The Firebells and Boston Hunters — the league's other two teams — play on Sunday. A couple players from each team helped the grounds crew pull the tarp off the field after the rain subsided.
“I’m excited to be here because I play softball and I really like it and it’s really cool that I get to see professional women play,” Rosalee Mabry said.
The WPBL paid tribute to the past, present and future of women's baseball during a rain-delayed pregame ceremony. The crowd cheered as the lineups for the Queens and Heights were announced.
But the biggest ovation of the night was for 99-year-old Maybelle Blair, who threw a ceremonial first pitch to San Francisco's Kelsie Whitmore, one of the biggest stars of the WPBL. Blair, who serves on a WPBL advisory board, played in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, which ran from 1943-54 and inspired the 1992 movie, “A League of Their Own.”
“I think that's pretty incredible,” Benites said. “Maybelle's been sticking with us since the beginning of this journey. She's paved a path for us, really. ... She's a special person and I'm so happy that she got to make it out here and do that today."
Lindsey Keirsey, 42, a high school history teacher in Fenton, Missouri, said she is obsessed with the AAGPBL and “A League of Their Own.” She attended the game with her husband, Drew, 43, and their four children, Hadley, 17, Nolan, 15, Elam, 11, and Abbott, 10.
“We go to St. Louis Cardinals games all the time,” Hadley Keirsey said. “As much as I love baseball, I think it’s an amazing opportunity to see so many women be able to play and just break ground like that. Even though it’s just a sport, I think that if we can do things like this and let women play in sports like this, women can do so many more things.”
This story was first published on Aug. 1, 2026. It was updated on Aug. 6, 2026 to correct that Denae Benites’ home run was a solo shot.
AP Sports: https://apnews.com/sports
A young fan blows a kiss to New York Heights' Kylee Lahners (22) before the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game against the Los Angeles Queens, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)
A fan reacts while the tarps are removed from the field before the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game between the Los Angeles Queens and the New York Heights, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)
Former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player Maybelle Blair, left, and Los Angeles Queens' Elodie O'Sullivan, right, share a moment before the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game against the New York Heights, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)
Fans wait for the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game between the Los Angeles Queens and the New York Heights, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)
Fans cheer before the inaugural Women's Professional Baseball League game between the Los Angeles Queens and the New York Heights, Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, in Springfield, Ill. (AP Photo/Lexie Knight)
