What You Need To Know About the Multi-State Carrot Recall
One person has died and 39 have been sickened in an E. coli outbreak linked to organic carrots.
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Update: On November 21, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) alerted consumers that the recall had expanded to include two additional products that included carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms: Fabalish Inc. Kickin’ Carrot Falafel Bites and Whole Foods Market Organic Carrot Sticks and Organic Carrots & Celery Sticks.
The FDA also said the recall had been extended to include carrots distributed by Grimmway Farms to Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates. “Grimmway Farms has directly notified international customers who received recalled products,” the FDA said, noting that its investigation is “ongoing” and updates will be issued as more information becomes available.
Check your vegetable bins. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state and local agencies are investigating a deadly, multistate E. coli outbreak linked to organic whole and baby carrots supplied by California-based Grimmway Farms and sold under a variety of popular brand and store labels. The recall, announced by Grimmway Farms on November 16, is serious and far-reaching.
Carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms to retail distribution centers across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada have been implicated in an E. coli O121:H19 outbreak that has, to date, caused at least 39 illnesses across 18 states, according to the CDC. Fifteen people have been hospitalized and one person in California has died.
None of the recalled carrots are believed to be currently available for purchase in stores. However, they may be in people’s refrigerators and freezers.
The alert covers the following brands of organic whole carrots, which were sold in a variety of bag sizes at retail stores between August 14 and October 23, 2024. No best-if-used-by-dates were printed on the bags of whole carrots affected by the recall:
- 365 (1lb, 2lb, 5lb bags)
- Bunny Luv (1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 10lb, 25lb bags)
- Cal-Organic (1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 6lb, 10lb, 25lb bags)
- Compliments (2lb bags)
- Full Circle (1lb, 2lb, 5lb bags)
- Good & Gather (2lb bags)
- GreenWise (1lb, 25lb bags)
- Marketside (2lb bags)
- Nature's Promise (1lb, 5lb bags)
- O-Organics (1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 10lb bags)
- President's Choice (2lb bags)
- Simple Truth (1lb, 2lb, 5lb bags)
- Trader Joe’s (1lb bags)
- Wegmans (1lb, 2lb, 5lb bags)
- Wholesome Pantry (1lb, 2lb, 5lb bags)
Also recalled are organic baby carrots, which are cut and peeled, with best-if-used-by dates ranging from September 11 to November 12, 2024, sold under the following labels:
- 365 (12oz, 1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through NOV 02 24)
- Bunny Luv (1lb, 2lb, 3lb, 5lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through NOV 12 24)
- Cal-Organic (12oz, 1lb, 2lb, 2pk/2lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through NOV 02 24)
- Compliments (1lb bags / from SEP 14 24 through OCT 24 24)
- Full Circle (1lb bags / from SEP 14 24 through OCT 24 24)
- Good & Gather (12oz, 1lb bags / from SEP 14 24 through NOV 02 24)
- GreenWise (1lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through OCT 26 24)
- Grimmway Farms (25 lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through OCT 03 24)
- Marketside (12oz, 1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through NOV 02 24)
- Nature's Promise (1lb bags / from SEP 13 24 through OCT 25 24)
- O-Organics (12oz, 1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 11 24 through NOV 02 24)
- President's Choice (1lb, 2lb bags / from 11 SEP 24 through 02 NOV 24)
- Raley’s (1lb bags / from SEP 14 24 through OCT 23 24)
- Simple Truth (1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 14 24 through NOV 02 24)
- Sprouts (1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 13 24 through NOV 04 24)
- Trader Joe’s (1lb bags / from SEP 13 24 through NOV 04 24)
- Wegmans (12oz, 1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 14 24 through NOV 02 24)
- Wholesome Pantry (1lb, 2lb bags / from SEP 16 24 through NOV 07 24)
Check your fridge and freezer. If you have any of the carrots listed above, don’t eat them. You are advised to throw them away and to clean and sanitize any surfaces they may have touched.
Infection from the E. coli O121:H19 bacterium can cause symptoms including stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting, with onset occurring between 24 hours and 10 days (although usually about three to four days) following consumption of a contaminated product. While symptoms usually last about a week, infections can be serious and sometimes deadly in young children and elderly people as well as those with weakened immune systems.
The FDA advises anyone concerned about illness following consumption of the recalled carrots to contact a medical professional. Those with questions about the carrots can call Grimmway customer services at 1-800-301-3101 or visit grimmway.com. More information can be found here.
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