E. Coli Outbreak Linked To Organic Carrots Leaves 1 Dead And Dozens Sickened Across The US

By CNN
Posted on 11/18/24 | News Source: CNN

Neither Market Maven nor Seven Mile sold these brands

Baltimore, MD - Nov. 18, 2024  - An E. coli outbreak linked to recalled organic carrots has led to dozens of illnesses in 18 states and one death, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

At least 39 cases of E. coli have been linked to the carrots since early September, including 15 hospitalizations, according to the CDC.

Multiple sizes and brands of bagged organic baby and whole carrots were recalled Saturday by Bakersfield, California-based Grimmway Farms, which describes itself as one of the world’s largest carrot producers. The carrots were sold under the store brands for Kroger, Publix, Target, Trader Joe’s, Walmart, Wegmans and Whole Foods, among others.

The recalled carrots are likely no longer sold in stores but may still be in people’s homes, Grimmway Farms warned. People who have recalled carrots should throw them out or return them to the store and clean surfaces they have touched, the CDC advised.

The recall includes baby organic carrots with best-if-used-by dates ranging from September 11 to November 12 and whole organic carrots available in stores from about August 14 to October 23.

The products were sold under multiple brand names, including Grimmway Farms, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Good & Gather and more, according to the recall notice.

The reported illnesses may not capture the full scope of the outbreak, because it can take up to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak, and many infected people recover without medical care and are never actually tested for E. coli, according to the CDC.