Nationwide carrot recall expanded

Update 

• Grimmway Farms expanded a large-scale recall of carrots across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico as U.S. food safety watchdogs investigate a fatal outbreak of  E. coli infections.
• The U.S. Food & Drug Administration published an update to the recall Nov. 22, less than a week after an original recall of select organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots sold over the last four months. 
• The expanded recall adds four bag sizes of organic whole carrots to the list of recalled products.
• Grimmway Farms recalled the carrots amid an FDA investigation into illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121:H19 infections linked to the company’s organic whole and baby carrots.
• As of Nov. 22, the FDA recorded 39 illnesses, 15 hospitalizations and one death in relation to the outbreak.

Carrot E. coli recall overview: 

• Who: Grimmway Farms recalled organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots.
• Why: The products may be contaminated with E. coli.
• Where: The carrot E. coli recall is active in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada.

(Nov. 21, 2024)

Grimmway Farms recalled carrots across the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico as U.S. food safety watchdogs investigate a fatal outbreak of  E. coli infections.

The U.S. Food & Drug Administration published the recall Nov. 16, followed by an update on the investigation the following day.

The recall applies to select organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots sold over the last four months. Consumers can view a full list of recalled products here.

According to the recall and investigation update, Grimmway Farms recalled the carrots amid an FDA investigation into illnesses in a multistate outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121:H19 infections linked to the company’s organic whole and baby carrots.

State and local public health officials are interviewing people about the foods they ate in the week before they got sick, the notice says. Of the 27 people interviewed, 26 reported eating carrots.

Case count reaches 15 hospitalizations, FDA reports

As of Nov. 17, the FDA said it recorded 39 total illnesses, 15 hospitalizations and one death related to the outbreak. States with cases include: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wyoming.

E. coli O121:H19 is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with a weakened immune system, the FDA says. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea conditions, such as a hemolytic uremic syndrome, or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease and neurologic problems. 

The recalled carrots should no longer be available for purchase but may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers, the FDA warns. Consumers should destroy the recalled carrots.

In July, an Ohio farm that supplies fresh vegetables to Walmarts, Krogers and other major supermarket chains expanded a major produce recall due to possible listeria monocytogenes contamination.

Are you affected by this carrot recall? Let us know in the comments! 

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