Carrot Recall Update As FDA Sets Highest Risk Level

A recall of a number of carrots from Grimmway Farms has been given a Class I classification from the FDA over E.Coli fears.

Newsweek has reached out to a representative for Grimmway Farms via email for comment.

Why It Matters

The voluntary recall was issued on November 16, but it has now been assigned a Class 1 classification, a title used in situations in which "there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death," according to the FDA's official website.

Grimmway Farms logo on a bag of organic carrots, Lafayette, California, November 17, 2024. A recall of a number of carrots from Grimmway Farms has been given a Class I classification from the FDA over... Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images

The products were contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E.coli O121:H19. E. Coli is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and those with a weakened immune system according to the FDA.

What To Know

The carrots had been distributed across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. Hundreds of thousands of cases of carrots had been distributed.

The following Organic Whole Carrots available, which were for purchase at retail from August 14 to October 23, are affected by the recall:

The following Organic Baby Carrots (cut and peeled) are affected by the recall:

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), carrots from Grimmway Farms have been linked to the recent outbreak of the E. Coli disease that has left one person dead and 48 others sick since September 6. The illness led to 20 hospitalizations, according to the FDA.

There have been illnesses have been reported across 19 states, with the highest number of cases recorded in Washington. The agency has said that the true number of infections is likely to be higher since many people do not receive medical care for E.Coli, nor are they tested for bacterial infection.

In a press release, the FDA said that all retailers who had received the affected products had been notified when the recall initially began in November.

The products should not be available to purchase in any stores, but they could be in consumers' freezers or refrigerators.

What People Are Saying

In a statement issued by Grimmway Farms CEO Jeff Huckaby said, "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."

What's Next

Consumers with questions can contact Grimmway Farms at 1-800-301-3101.

If consumers have recalled products in their homes, they should throw them away immediately and clean and sanitize any surfaces they touched.

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