A Carrot Recall Has Been Linked to a Deadly E. Coli Outbreak Across Multiple States

The products were sold nationwide at big retailers, including Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, and Kroger.

November 18, 2024

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, your holiday food preparations are probably in full swing, but you might want to give your veggies a closer look before you start slicing and dicing. That’s because carrot products sold at major retailers nationwide have been recalled due to potential E. coli contamination, according to the FDA.

On November 16, the agency announced, Bakersfield, California–based manufacturer Grimmway Farms voluntarily recalled organic whole and baby carrots distributed throughout Canada, Puerto Rico, and the US. In an update the next day, the FDA said the carrots had been linked to a multistate E. coli outbreak.

Spanning multiple brands and package sizes, the carrots were sold at major retailers like Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Kroger, and Target, according to the FDA. The organic whole carrots were available for purchase from August 14 through October 23 and did not have a best-by date printed on the bag, while the organic baby carrots had best-by dates ranging from September 11 through November 12. While none of the affected products should still be available for purchase at supermarkets and other retailers, they may still be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers, where they could keep for an extended period of time, the FDA said. You can find a full list of affected products here.

In the announcements, the FDA did not identify how the carrots could have become contaminated with E. coli. While there are many different types of E. coli, some of which aren’t cause for concern, the strain implicated in the new outbreak—Shiga toxin-producing E. coli—is particularly dangerous because it can trigger a serious complication known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), according to the CDC. HUS is a life-threatening health condition that can cause kidney failure, permanent health problems, and even death, the CDC said.

Symptoms of an E. coli infection start within nine days of eating contaminated food and include GI issues like nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and diarrhea, according to the FDA. Some people are especially at risk for E. coli infection, including children under age five, adults 65 and older, and immunocompromised folks, according to the CDC.

Per the CDC’s report on their investigation, the carrot-linked outbreak has caused a total of 39 illnesses, 15 hospitalizations, and one death in 18 states. The last reported illness began on October 28, the FDA said. Here’s a full list of the states affected so far:

Arkansas
California
Colorado
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
North Carolina
New Jersey
New York
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Texas
Virginia
Washington
Wyoming

Washington, Minnesota, and New York have the highest case count each: between five and eight cases, according to an outbreak map by the CDC. Both the CDC and the FDA are investigating the outbreak in conjunction with state and local public health officials, according to the FDA. Of the 27 people interviewed as of November 17, 26 reported eating carrots in the week before they became sick, the agency said.

So what should you do to keep your Thanksgiving guests safe as the holiday season gets underway? Well, start by checking your refrigerator or freezer for the recalled products, according to the FDA—and if you find any, definitely don’t work them into your stuffing or any other classic side. Instead, toss them, and then clean or sanitize any surfaces they might have touched, the FDA said. Same goes for carrots stored outside of their original packaging whose brand and origin isn’t clear. Better safe than sorry, after all. And if you read this article too late and think you’re experiencing symptoms of an E. coli infection after eating organic carrots, contact your health care provider.