The rare strain of Salmonella that has made more than 1,000 people sick in the US and Canada has been identified as coming from a small packing plant in South Texas, according to Dr. David Acheson, associate commissioner for foods at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Acheson says that the jalapeno peppers contaminated with Salmonella saintpaul have been traced to the Agricola Zaragoza Inc., packing plant in McAllen, Texas, just north of the US/Mexico border.

The tainted jalapenos were grown and harvested in Mexico but Acheson says there is no reason to believe the peppers were contaminated in Mexico just because they were grown there.  The investigation remains on-going.

Agricola Zaragoza, a small distributor of fresh produce to the wholesale market, has been notified of the contamination and is in the process of recalling jalapenos in distribution.  While the warning against eating all types of raw tomatoes was lifted four days ago, the FDA still advises caution against eating raw peppers, especially the elderly and people with compromised immune systems.

Of the 1,251 people who became ill in 43 states during this, the largest US food-borne outbreak in more than 10 years, 475 of them became ill in Texas.  Of the total nationwide number of cases, 228 have been severe enough to warrant hospitalization.  Females account for 50% of all people sickened.  People aged 20 to 29 have been hit hardest while adolescents (10 to 19 years old) and people over 80 report the lowest incidence of illness.  Five Canadians have become sickened by the Salmonella outbreak, four of whom recently traveled in the US.  The fifth case is still being investigated.