Clear Lake area shoppers who bought pico de gallo, guacamole, ceviche or shrimp cocktail from H-E-B between July 3 and Aug. 5 should check their refrigerators. The grocery chain pulled dozens of jalapeño-based products from shelves after supplier NatureBest Precut & Produce LLC issued a voluntary recall. The action is tied to a multistate salmonella outbreak that has sickened 345 people across 27 states.

The recall affects products sold at H-E-B stores including the El Dorado H-E-B at 18611 Eastfield Dr. in Webster and the Friendswood H-E-B at 701 West Parkwood, as well as the Clear Lake Marketplace H-E-B at 3501 Clear Lake City Blvd.

NatureBest, which operates facilities in Missouri City and Houston, distributed the affected jalapeños to H-E-B during that July 3–Aug. 5 window, according to KHOU. The peppers came from Coast Citrus Distributors, a San Diego importer that sourced them from Sinaloa, Mexico. The FDA and CDC linked the jalapeños to a Salmonella Javiana outbreak.

H-E-B announced the recall Aug. 8 and confirmed that all affected products have been removed from current inventory.

What to look for

Six H-E-B-branded products manufactured by NatureBest are on the recall list, with best-by dates ranging from July 12 through Aug. 15:

  • H-E-B Pico De Gallo Mild, 14 oz. (UPC 004122034597)
  • H-E-B Pico De Gallo Medium, 14 oz. (UPC 004122034618)
  • H-E-B Pico De Gallo Hot, 14 oz. (UPC 004122034615)
  • H-E-B Pico De Gallo Mango, 14 oz. (UPC 004122034616)
  • H-E-B Jalapeño Popper Stuffed Mushrooms, 8 oz. (UPC 019787014702)
  • H-E-B Diced Jalapeño, 3 oz. (UPC 004122076495)

Food safety attorney Bill Marler, who publishes Food Poison Journal, wrote Aug. 14 that shoppers should flip the container over: "Read the UPC, not the front of the package. Six of the eighteen rows say H-E-B on the label. A shopper who picked up an H-E-B Pico De Gallo Medium has no reason to know that a company called NatureBest made it."

Store-made products also affected

Beyond the NatureBest-produced items, H-E-B removed a longer list of products prepared in its stores using the recalled jalapeños. Those include multiple guacamole varieties, Mi Tienda and H-E-B ceviche and shrimp cocktail, Meal Simple prepared meals, jalapeño pimento cheese spreads, deli cheese balls, Hill Country Fare tortas and soup kits.

The FDA's recall notice lists lot codes from 190A26184 through 190A26216 for the NatureBest products.

What shoppers should do

Do not eat any affected product. Throw it away or return it to the store for a refund, then wash and sanitize the shelf or drawer where it was stored.

Salmonella symptoms include fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain, typically appearing 12 to 72 hours after eating contaminated food. Young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems face the highest risk.

Shoppers with questions can call H-E-B at 855-432-4438 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–6 p.m. CT) or NatureBest at (713) 278-0425 (Monday–Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m. CT).