There’s a Massive E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Carrots Happening Now
Grimmway Farms is the largest carrot producer in the world, supplying more than 65 organic brands, including Cal-Organic Farms and Bunny-Luv. The impacted carrots were available for purchase in stores from mid-August through late October. As a result, it’s really important to check the label on the carrots in your fridge right now.
- Darin Detwiler, LP. D., author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University
The recall affects multiple sizes and brands of organic carrots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you recently bought baby carrots with best-used dates ranging from 9/11/2024 to 11/12/2024, check your packaging. The CDC reports these brands have been affected:
- 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
If your bag of carrots doesn’t have a best-if-used-by-date, the CDC recommends avoiding these brands while they’re on recall:
- 365
- Bunny Luv
- Cal-Organic
- Compliments
- Full Circle
- Good & Gather
- GreenWise
- Marketside
- Nature's Promise
- O-Organic
- President's Choice
- Simple Truth
- Trader Joe's
- Wegmans
- Wholesome Pantry
So far, the FDA has detected illnesses linked to this outbreak in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming.
What is E. coli?
Escherichia coli (or E. coli) is a type of bacteria naturally found in many places like your intestines. According to the CDC, most kinds of E. coli are harmless, but some can make you sick or cause life-threatening complications. So you’re probably wondering, “How do you get the harmful kind?”
Most people get an E. coli infection by consuming contaminated food or water or by coming into contact with infected animals, environments, or other people. Symptoms of an E. coli infection can mimic the signs of other stomach bugs, which may include diarrhea, cramps, abdominal pain, and nausea or vomiting. If you notice bloody diarrhea, it’s a good time to contact your doctor for treatment.
“The most vulnerable populations—the very young (under 5 years of age), the elderly, those with a compromised immune system, and those who are pregnant—are the ones most likely to become hospitalized,” says Darin Detwiler, author of the book Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions and a professor at Northeastern University.
If you or a loved one fall into one of these categories, it’s important to receive treatment as soon as possible to lower the risk of life-threatening complications.
How do carrots get contaminated with E. coli?
There are a few different ways carrots could be contaminated with E. coli, according to Detwiler. “It is either from contaminated irrigation water or from cross-contamination,” he says. “That could be from farm workers who didn’t wash their hands, or the carrots were harvested and then stored in a place where the sanitation did not meet regulatory compliance.”
Baby carrots are especially vulnerable to being contaminated, according to Detwiler. “They’re not tiny carrots—they’re big carrots, where the ugly parts are cut off,” he explains. “There is processing with them, which provides opportunities for blind spots in terms of equipment and personnel, whereas a carrot ripped out of the ground has no processing.”
Most carrots are also eaten raw, especially baby carrots, which makes it easier for bacteria to spread. “When you don’t cook them, there’s no step to kill a pathogen like E. coli,” Detwiler explains.
What to do if you have these carrots at home
If you have the recalled carrots in your fridge, the CDC recommends that you do not eat them and throw them away. You’ll also need to wash anything the carrots may have touched with hot, soapy water or put it in the dishwasher. If you’ve eaten the recalled carrots (don’t worry it happens!) and you’re experiencing an upset stomach or symptoms of an E. coli infection, it’s a good idea to check in with your doctor as soon as possible.
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