One person has died, and more than three dozen have been sickened after eating carrots contaminated with E. coli 0121, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The outbreak of E. coli infections, spanning 18 states, including Texas, has been traced to organic bagged whole carrots and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms. The Bakersfield, California, company has initiated a voluntary recall of its carrot products sold under various name brands in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.
The recall includes baby organic carrots with best-if-used-by dates ranging from 9/11/2024 to 11/12/2024 sold under the following brand names: 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organic, President’s Choice, Raley’s, Simple Truth, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry.
Bagged whole organic carrots sold under the same brand names listed above that were available for purchase between 08/14/2024 and 10/23/2024 are also subject to recall.
Although the contaminated carrots are likely no longer for sale in stores, the CDC is urging consumers to check their refrigerators and freezers for any of the affected products. The products listed below should be thrown away, and any surfaces that came in contact with the contaminated carrots should be cleaned and sanitized using hot, soapy water or a dishwasher.
So far, the carrots have been linked to 39 documented cases of E. coli infection, with 15 affected persons requiring hospitalization. One death has been reportedly linked to the outbreak. However, according to the CDC, the outbreak may have affected more people than is currently documented.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak,” the CDC stated in a report on the ongoing investigation into the outbreak.
Escherichia coli, or E. coli, are “mostly harmless bacteria that live in the intestines of people and animals. However, eating or drinking food or water contaminated with certain types of E. coli can cause mild to severe gastrointestinal illness,” according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Some types of E. coli infections can be life-threatening.
Persons affected with the illness-causing types of E. coli may begin to notice symptoms “anywhere from a few days after consuming contaminated food or as much as nine days later. Generally, the symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting,” per the FDA.
“The severity or presence of certain symptoms may depend on the type of pathogenic E. coli causing the infection. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea and lead to life-threatening conditions, such as a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems,” according to the FDA.
Persons experiencing these more severe symptoms should seek medical assistance right away.