Carrots carrying E. coli have killed one person and made 38 others ill across multiple U.S. states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced.
On November 16, Grimmway Farms issued a voluntary recall of two of its carrot products after the CDC reported that the carrots may be associated with an outbreak of E. coli, a bacterium that causes food poisoning and can be deadly to certain groups. The product was sold nationwide, and illnesses have been reported in 18 states so far.
E. coli infections can produce a range of unpleasant symptoms, including painful stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Most people recover without needing medical intervention within five to seven days, but more serious infections can be particularly dangerous for at-risk groups, including children under 5, adults over 65, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
The following products are subject to the recall:
- Organic whole carrots, which do not have a best-if-used-by date printed on the bag, but were available for purchase at retail stores from August 14 through October 23, 2024.
- Organic baby carrots with best-if-used-by-dates ranging from September 11 through November 12, 2024.
The first illness was reported to the CDC on September 6, and more reports have come in since then. "The true number of sick people in this outbreak is also likely much higher than the number reported," the government agency said. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli."
So far, illnesses have been reported to the CDC in the following states:
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Michigan
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- Wyoming
The state with the most cases of reported illnesses is Washington, where eight people have fallen ill.
When contacted for comment, Grimmway Farms directed Newsweek to its statement from president and CEO Jeff Huckaby.
"We take our role in ensuring the safety and quality of our products seriously. The health of our customers and the integrity of our products are our highest priorities, and we are conducting a thorough review of our growing, harvest, and processing practices. Our food safety team is working with our suppliers and health authorities," the statement said.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that the impacted products "should no longer be in grocery stores but may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers." The government agency said it is investigating whether any other products could be impacted.
While the impacted products are no longer on sale, consumers are urged to check their refrigerators and freezers and, if found, throw the product away and sanitize any surface it touched.
Anyone who suspects they may have contracted E. coli should contact their health care provider if they have severe symptoms.
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