Nearly seven dozen carrot products have been recalled over fears of E. coli contamination, including those sold at Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods.
On Saturday, Grimmway Farms, a major produce supplier, announced the recall of its organic baby and whole carrots sold in the country’s largest stores.
Other affected stores include Wegmans, Target and Walmart, whose carrots were sold on their shelves between August 14 and November 12.
The carrots are no longer in stores, but officials fear the contaminated vegetables may still be lurking in people’s refrigerators and freezers, and are urging people to throw them in the trash immediately.
An investigation linked carrots to an E. coli outbreak that has so far sickened 39 people, hospitalized 15 and caused one death.
The illnesses have been recorded in 18 states, with Washington having the most (eight cases), followed by Minnesota and New York, which had five.
However, cases are expected to increase in the coming days, because the symptoms of an E. coli infection can take up to 10 days to appear.
This is just the latest major E. coli outbreak to hit the U.S., after 150,000 bottles of drinking water were recalled last week and McDonald’s had to recall quarter pounders in October due to the bacterium.
A graphic shows several of the more than 70 organic whole and baby carrots recalled
in his retirement warningGrimmway Farms revealed the full list of recalled products, including bags and packages of organic and non-organic carrots from stores and brands ranging from 12 oz to 25 lb.
Baby and whole carrots were sold under the following major brands: Whole Foods’ 365, Target’s Good and Gather, Walmart’s Marketside, and Trader Joe’s and Wegmans carrots.
Other brands include: Bunny-Luv, Cal-Organix, Compliments, Full Circle, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Nature’s Promise, O-Organic, President’s Choice, Raley’s, Simple Truth, Sprouts and Wholesome Pantry.
Some do not have an expiration date printed on the package and others have expiration dates from September 11 to November 12.
The FDA said Organic whole carrots were available for purchase in stores from August 14 to October 23, and organic baby carrots were available in stores from September 11 to November 12.
It was unclear how they became contaminated, but it can occur when food is treated with water that has been exposed to animal feces.
In announcing the recall, Grimmway Farms president Jeff Huckaby said: ‘We take seriously our role in ensuring the safety and quality of our products.
“The health of our customers and the integrity of our products are our top priorities, and we are conducting a comprehensive review of our growing, harvesting and processing practices.”
The map above shows the location of people who became ill after eating carrots. It also reveals that Washington state has suffered the largest outbreak
He added: “Our food safety team is working with our suppliers and health authorities.”
E. coli infects up to 95,000 people and kills 100 in the United States each year.
It can survive stomach acid and enter the intestines, where the toxins it releases damage the lining of the intestines causing diarrhea and loose stools.
E. coli can also enter the bloodstream, where it destroys red blood cells, causing damage to the kidneys and leaving them struggling to filter the blood.
Patients often become infected after eating food contaminated with the bacteria and their illness can last for weeks.
Treatment includes antibiotics to kill E. coli and bed rest to help the body fight the disease.
Last month alone, there were 104 people sick in 14 states and one death in connection with the McDonald’s E. coli outbreak.
Investigators linked the outbreak to chopped onions used in the chain’s Quarter Pounders.
It was unclear how they had become contaminated, but they can also contract the bacteria if they are treated with water contaminated with animal feces. Onions can also spread the bacteria to machinery, which then spreads it to other onions.
More than 33 people sued McDonald’s after becoming infected, alleging they suffered hospitalization and, in the case of one 15-year-old girl, kidney damage.