A salmonella outbreak has grown to 431 sick people in 32 states. Bad jalapeno peppers caused the outbreak. That is up from 345 cases in 27 states just two weeks ago. The CDC is the nation's top health agency. It gave the new numbers on August 19.

This matters for South Texas. Many of us eat jalapenos every day. We put them on tacos, in salsa, and in pico de gallo. Texas is one of the states with sick people. El Tejano has covered this outbreak since it started.

New data show most of the sick people ate at a restaurant before they got sick. The CDC talked to 224 patients. Of those, 203 people, or 91 percent, ate at a Mexican-style restaurant. Chipotle and QDOBA are two chains linked to the outbreak. Both stopped serving the bad peppers. Health workers found 28 groups of sick people at restaurants in 8 states.

The bad peppers came from a farm in Sinaloa, Mexico. Coast Citrus Distributors brought the peppers into the U.S. The peppers went to stores and eateries nationwide. Whole Foods recalled peppers on August 12. Taylor Fresh Foods recalled peppers on August 8. Coast Citrus Distributors recalled peppers on August 5.

A recall means a company pulls a bad product off store shelves and out of restaurants. Companies do this to keep people safe.

Doctors traced the germ to a type of salmonella called Salmonella Javiana. So far, 57 people have gone to the hospital. That is 15 percent of the people with full medical records. No one has died. People who got sick first started feeling bad as early as June 19. The most recent person got sick on August 2.

South Texas readers may remember our last report. On August 10, El Tejano told you H-E-B pulled more than 35 foods. That was for this same outbreak. The list included pico de gallo, jalapeno poppers, and guacamole made in H-E-B stores. H-E-B said the bad food was off its shelves by then. This is still the same outbreak. It just keeps growing.

Salmonella makes people sick with diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps. Symptoms can start as fast as 6 hours after eating bad food. They can also take up to 6 days to show up. Most people feel sick for 4 to 7 days. Most people get better on their own. But small kids, people over 65, and people with weak immune systems can get very sick. Some of them need to go to the hospital.

This is not the first time bad food has made people sick in the U.S. Outbreaks tied to lettuce, onions, and eggs have hit the news before. Health workers trace these outbreaks by asking sick people what they ate. They also test food and check where it came from. That is how the CDC and the FDA found the farm in Sinaloa. FDA is short for Food and Drug Administration.

Right now, the CDC and FDA say Chipotle and QDOBA are safe again. Both chains stopped using the bad peppers. But old jalapeno products bought before the recalls could still be in your fridge.

Check your kitchen. If you bought jalapenos, salsa, guacamole, or pico de gallo before mid-August, look for the brands in this story. Coast Citrus Distributors, Taylor Fresh Foods, and Whole Foods Market are all part of the recall. Do not eat those foods. Throw them away or take them back to the store where you bought them.

Anyone who ate bad jalapenos should watch for symptoms. Call a doctor if diarrhea, fever, or stomach cramps will not go away. This is still an active investigation. The CDC says it will share new numbers as they come in.