A massive recall of organic carrots and baby carrots sold at grocery stores across the country was issued by a California grower after a possible outbreak of E. coli that has already killed one person.
Grimmway Farms said in a news release that some of its organic whole and baby carrots sold at many grocery store chains, including Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Whole Foods and Target, may have been contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
The carrot producer, headquartered in Bakersfield, California, voluntarily recalled the carrots after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that they may be associated with an outbreak. So far, there have been 39 cases, 15 hospitalizations and one death across 18 states, according to the CDC.
According to the CDC, the carrots might be linked to an outbreak of E. coli, which could cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. Symptoms usually start three to four days after swallowing the bacteria and most people recover without treatment after five to seven days.
The CDC said some people may develop serious kidney problems and would need to be hospitalized.
The CDC and FDA say that any recalled carrots should be thrown away immediately or returned to the store for a refund. People should also clean and sanitize any surface they may have touched.
According to the FDA, the recall did not pull any carrots off the shelves at stores as they should no longer be available for sale. However, they may still be in people’s homes and refrigerators.
Grimmway Farms said the whole carrots that were recalled were sold in stores from August 14 through October 23, while the baby carrots have best-by dates ranging from September 11 to November 12, 2024.
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