Bagged organic carrots recalled after E. coli sickens 39, hospitalizes 15, kills one

A recall is under way for baby and whole organic carrots in 18 states, including New York, after E. coli sickened 39 people, hospitalized 15 and killed one, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Sunday.

Most of those infected live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, as well as California and Oregon, the CDC said.

Grimmway Farms of Bakersfield, Calif., recalled “multiple sizes and brands” of the bagged carrots, the CDC said, including those at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods’ 365 brand and Wegmans.

Also affected were the brands 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 and Wholesome Pantry.

The baby carrots carried best-if-used-by dates of Sept. 11 through Nov. 12 of this year. Whole carrots do not have a used-by date but were on store shelves from Aug. 14 through Oct. 23, the CDC said.

“Carrots on store shelves right now are likely not affected but may be in people’s homes,” the CDC said in a statement. “If you have any recalled carrots in your home, throw them out or return them to the store.”

While they’re no longer in stores, they “may be in consumers’ refrigerators of freezers,” the CDC warned.

“The implicated farms are out of production, and none of the recalled carrots have tested positive for E. coli O121:H19,” the strain associated with the outbreak, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said.

Eight of the 39 people infected with the E. coli associated with the carrots were in Washington State, KOMO-TV reported. Illnesses began manifesting on Sept. 6 and lasted through Oct. 28, the CDC said.

“This outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported,” the CDC said. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli.”

E. coli infection symptoms usually begin three to four days after the bacteria is consumed. The signs include severe stomach cramps, vomiting and possibly-bloody diarrhea. The CDC advised anyone experiencing severe symptoms to seek medical attention and tell the provider what they ate.

Most people recover without treatment in five to seven days, but among young children, the elderly and people with compromised immune systems, the infection can be severe and even life-threatening.

With News Wire Services