An E. coli outbreak has affected dozens of people who ate bagged organic carrots, and one person died from the infection.
In total, 39 people were infected and 15 were hospitalized in 18 states after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grammy Way Farms, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.
Bakersfield, Calif.-based Grimmway Farms has recalled carrots, including whole and baby carrots sold in bags under several brand names, including 365, Cal-Organic, Nature’s Promise, O-Organics, Trader Joe’s and Wegmans. Organic carrots included.
The carrots are no longer in stores, but the CDC is warning consumers not to eat the recalled carrots and to check your refrigerator or freezer and throw away any carrots that fit the description. According to the CDC, most of the infected people live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed by California and Oregon, although infections have been reported in states across the country.
Several E. coli outbreaks have occurred in recent months. In October, more than 100 McDonald’s customers became ill in the U.S. after an E. coli outbreak linked to sliced onions. In Britain, an E. coli outbreak in June killed one person from lettuce and sickened at least 275 people. Organic walnuts sickened consumers in 19 states with E. coli infections in April.
Despite the number of recent outbreaks, experts say the food supply is generally safe, although little progress has been made in preventing infections caused by E. coli.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the recalled organic baby carrots have expiration dates from September 11 to November 12.
Symptoms of an E. coli infection usually begin three to four days after eating the bacteria and include severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. People with severe symptoms of E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell the provider what they ate, the CDC said.
According to the FDA, the bacteria E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.
