The US Food and Drug Administration announced that the contaminated jalapeño and serrano peppers coming from Mexico, were no longer in circulation. Last month the health agency issued a warning that consumers avoid eating jalapeño and serrano peppers from Mexico. Now the FDA has lifted the warning.

The salmonella outbreak began in late April, but by early August the number of new cases had dropped to levels that would be considered normal, according to the CDC.

The number of reported cases related to the salmonella outbreak that sickened more that 1,400 people has dropped and it is getting closer to the typical number of cases expected during this time of the year, said Dr. Robert Tauxe, the deputy director of the CDC Division of Foodborne, Bacterial and Mycotic diseases.

People were sickened in 43 states and Washington, D.C. Texas was the hardest-hit state. At least 286 people were hospitalized from the salmonella Saintpaul strain. Most people became ill in May, June and early July.

The joint investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they found strong evidence to blame Mexico jalapeño and Serrano peppers for the largest foodborne outbreak in the last ten years. Initially, the FDA said that the initial reported cases were “statistically linked to consumption of raw tomatoes.” The FDA warned consumers nationwide 7 to avoid raw red plum, red Roma, and round red tomatoes because of the possible contamination.

Later the FDA warned consumers to avoid all fresh jalapeños after investigators had traced a contaminated jalapeno pepper found in a farm in Tamaulipas, the Mexican state that borders South Texas. They also found traces of the elusive bacteria in irrigation water collected from the same farm. The contamination of the peppers could have started when they were harvested in Mexico or on their way to be distributed, to McAllen, Texas. Investigators found contaminated serrano peppers and irrigation systems at another farm in that same region, about 100 miles away from the first.

However, the FDA said they still suspect that tainted tomatoes were involved at first. But they may never be able to prove it. It is estimated that tomato-related industry losses have amounted to no less than $250 million.

Farmers and several produce executives criticized the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over their response on the situation and for running an uncertain investigation that confused consumers. Many industry representatives complained their loss had reached no less than $300 million and, more than that, they had to dump tons of healthy tomatoes just because of the government warnings.

However, FDA and CDC officials said government and industry should improve technology to better detect pathogens and to improve the safety of fresh produce.

“None of us can provide a cast-iron guarantee that salmonella Saintpaul will not re-emerge,” said Dr. David Acheson, the FDA’s food safety chief. “We have not identified the total source of this.”