美国近期爆发多起沙门氏菌污染事件，涉及墨西哥锡纳罗亚州产的墨西哥辣椒、德州农场的鸡蛋、含有辣木粉的燕麦谷物以及狗粮等多种食品。其中辣椒相关疫情最为严重，已在32个州造成431人感染、57人住院；鸡蛋疫情则波及17个州、98人感染，相关企业已召回约1900万颗鸡蛋。多家知名零售商和连锁餐厅纷纷下架受影响产品。

沙门氏菌感染的典型症状包括腹泻、发烧和腹部痉挛，通常在食用受污染食物后12至72小时内出现，对幼儿、老年人及免疫力低下者尤其危险。夏季是沙门氏菌疫情高发期，因为气温升高有利于细菌繁殖，加上民众在夏天更常食用新鲜农产品和户外用餐，食物在室温下放置超过两小时即可能变得不安全。

专家指出，沙门氏菌进入食物链的途径多样：鸡蛋中的肠炎沙门氏菌可在母鸡生殖道中定殖并在蛋壳形成前传入蛋内；新鲜农产品则可能透过受污染的灌溉水感染，尤其在畜牧业与农作物种植区域相邻的地方风险更高。专家建议民众注意勤洗手、彻底烹煮食物、及时冷藏易腐食品，并将生肉与其他食物分开存放，以有效预防感染。

The United States is facing a wave of salmonella outbreaks across multiple food products. Contaminated jalapeño peppers from Sinaloa, Mexico, have caused 431 illnesses in 32 states with 57 hospitalizations, prompting recalls of salsa, guacamole, and other products at major retailers including Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Kroger, and Target. A separate egg-linked outbreak has sickened 98 people across 17 states, leading to a recall of 19 million eggs from Texas-based farms. Additional recalls affect a lactation granola containing contaminated moringa powder and a dog food product that tested positive for salmonella.

Salmonella infections typically cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps within 12 to 72 hours of exposure and pose the greatest risk to young children, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals. Summer conditions favor such outbreaks because warmer temperatures promote bacterial growth, and people tend to consume more fresh produce and eat outdoors during this season. Food left unrefrigerated for more than two hours can become unsafe.

Experts explain that salmonella enters the food supply through various pathways: the Salmonella enteritidis strain can colonize hens' reproductive tracts and contaminate eggs before shells form, while fresh produce can be exposed through irrigation water tainted by agricultural runoff from nearby livestock operations. Food safety specialists recommend thorough handwashing, proper cooking temperatures, prompt refrigeration of perishables, and separating raw meats from other foods as effective prevention measures. As one expert noted, cooking remains the most reliable technology to eliminate salmonella, though Americans' preference for fresh produce presents an ongoing challenge.