A multistate E. coli outbreak linked to a variety of carrots sold at popular grocery stores has left at least one person dead, more than a dozen hospitalized and dozens more sick, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned over the weekend.
So what should you look for and what are the symptoms if you ate the recalled carrots?
While the carrots are likely no longer sold in stores, the CDC urged consumers to check the refrigerators for the contained food.
"These products are likely no longer in stores for sale but may still be in your home," the CDC said.
Here's what to know:
What carrots were recalled and when?
The carrots were recalled Nov. 16 by California-based Grimmway Farms, the CDC said. The recall includes multiple sizes and brands of bagged organic baby and whole carrots, officials said.
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List of brands recalled
According to the CDC, the recall includes bagged, organic whole and baby carrots sold at a number of popular grocery stories, including Trader Joe's Whole Foods and Target. The carrots were shipped to retail distribution centers nationwide in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada, the Food and Drug Administration said.
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A full list of the products recalled can be found below:
Baby Organic Carrots (best-if-used by dates ranging from 9/11/2024 to 11/12/2024):
- 365
- Bunny Luv
- Cal-Organic
- Compliments
- Full Circle
- Good & Gather
- GreenWise
- Grimmway Farms
- Marketside
- Nature's Promise
- O-Organic
- President's Choice
- Raley's
- Simple Truth
- Sprouts
- Trader Joe's
- Wegman's
- Wholesome Pantry
Whole Organic Carrots (were available for purchase in stores between 8/14/2024 and 10/23/2024):
- 365
- Bunny Luv
- Cal-Organic
- Complements
- Full Circle
- Good & Gather,
- GreenWise
- Marketside
- Nature's Promise
- O-Organic
- President's Choice
- Simple Truth
- Trader Joe's
- Wegman's
- Wholesome Pantry
Which states are impacted?
Altogether, a total of 39 people were sickened across 18 states, including several parts of the Midwest. Fifteen of those people were hospitalized, the CDC said, and one person died. According to officials, the true number of sick people is "likely much higher" than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to states with known illnesses.
A full list of states where people reported illness after eating the carrots can be found below:
- Washington: 8 people
- Oregon: 3 people
- California: 3 people
- Wyoming: 1 person
- Colorado: 1 person
- Texas: 1 person
- Minnesota: 5 people
- Missouri: 1 person
- Arkansas: 1 person
- Michigan: 1 person
- Ohio: 1 person
- South Carolina: 2 people
- North Carolina: 1 person
- Virginia: 1 person
- Pennsylvania: 1 person
- New Jersey: 2 people
- Massachusetts: 1 person
- New York: 5 people
E. coli symptoms
According to the CDC, most people infected with E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms typically appear within three to four days of ingesting the bacteria, and most people recover between five and seven days.
Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
- Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
- Bloody diarrhea
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as:
- Not peeing much
- Dry mouth and throat
- Feeling dizzy when standing up
Some people may also develop serious kidney problems known as hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, which requires hospitalization. The CDC noted that at least one child experienced that symptom in connection with this outbreak.
The bacteria E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.
What else to know
There have been several E. coli outbreaks in recent months. In October, more than 100 McDonald’s customers were sickened by an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. linked to slivered onions. In the U.K., one person died in an E. coli outbreak in June linked to lettuce that 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 there hasn’t been much progress in curbing infections caused by E. coli.
