Salata Salad Dressing Recall Upgraded to FDA's Highest Risk Level
If you bought Salata Jalapeño Avocado Dressing from H-E-B in Texas, Georgia, or North Carolina — check your fridge right now.
The FDA upgraded the recall of Salata Salad Kitchen Jalapeño Avocado Dressing to a Class I classification on September 29, its highest risk level. Class I means there's a "reasonable probability" that consuming the product could cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The recall covers 1,724 cases of the dressing distributed across those three states.
The product comes in two sizes: 12.5-fluid-ounce bottles and one-gallon jugs. If you have either in your refrigerator, don't eat it. Return it to the store where you bought it for a full refund.
What's Actually in the Dressing
The problem is the jalapeños. Salata Dressings, a Houston-based company, first announced the voluntary recall in August after its supplier warned that the diced jalapeños used in the dressing may have been contaminated with Salmonella. Those jalapeños are part of a larger federal investigation into peppers grown in Sinaloa, Mexico, and distributed by Coast Citrus Distributors.
That investigation is still active. As of the FDA's August 20 update, the Sinaloa jalapeño outbreak has sickened 431 people across 32 states and led to 57 hospitalizations. The Salata dressing recall is one piece of a much larger contamination event that has been working its way through the food supply since late summer.
What to Look For
The recalled dressing has Best By dates of 11/05/2026, 11/13/2026, 11/18/2026, or 11/25/2026 printed at the top of the label. H-E-B shoppers who purchased the dressing between July 13 and August 5 are most likely to have it. The one-gallon jugs were distributed to food service locations in Georgia and North Carolina in addition to the Texas H-E-B retail distribution.
No specific illnesses have been directly linked to the Salata dressing itself, separate from the broader jalapeño outbreak investigation — but the Class I classification reflects the serious health risk attached to any Salmonella-contaminated product.
The Symptoms to Watch For
Salmonella infections typically cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache, chills, and stomach pain. Symptoms generally appear 6 hours to 6 days after exposure and can last 4 to 7 days. Most healthy adults recover without treatment.
The more serious risk is for young children, elderly individuals, pregnant women, and anyone with a compromised immune system — groups for whom a Salmonella infection can become severe and potentially life-threatening if the bacteria enter the bloodstream. In rare cases that happens, leading to conditions including arterial infections, endocarditis, and reactive arthritis.
If you've recently eaten the recalled dressing and are experiencing symptoms, contact your healthcare provider and mention the potential Salmonella exposure specifically.
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