The Texas Department of Agriculture is urging Texans to follow federal food safety guidance after a multistate Salmonella outbreak was linked to some fresh jalapeño peppers imported from Mexico. Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller made the appeal in an Aug. 14 news release from the agency.
Jalapeños are a staple of Texas kitchens, and the department said the outbreak underscores the importance of protecting the nation’s food supply, maintaining strong safety standards for imported produce and supporting Texas and American farmers whenever possible. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has posted recall information tied to products made with jalapeño peppers.
In a statement attributed to him in the release, Miller framed the outbreak as a test of consumer confidence. “Texans love jalapeños. We put them on burgers, tacos, nachos, barbecue, and just about anything else that needs a little kick,” he said. “They’re practically their own food group in Texas. That’s why Texans need to be able to trust that the peppers they bring home are safe.”
Miller said the case points to a broader question about imported produce. “This Salmonella outbreak in jalapeños from a supplier in Mexico is another reminder that food security is national security,” he said. “Texans deserve confidence in the food on their table, and our farmers and producers deserve a system that doesn’t put them at a disadvantage against imported products that fail to meet food safety standards.”
The commissioner credited federal and local responders for the speed of the response, according to the release, while pressing for stronger safeguards at the border. “I appreciate the FDA, CDC, and our state and local partners for moving quickly to identify the source, alert consumers, and get potentially contaminated products off the shelves,” Miller said. “But we also need to ask the bigger question: how do we keep contaminated foreign produce from entering our food supply in the first place?”
Miller said Texas growers already operate under rigorous food safety standards and argued the state should lean on them rather than on imports. He closed the statement with practical advice for shoppers: check the recall information, follow FDA guidance and, when there is a choice, buy Texas and buy American.