Organic carrots linked to E. coli outbreak in 18 states

Grimmway Farms this week recalled select organic whole carrots and baby carrots because they may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli.
While the announcement said that stores should have removed the carrots from sale by now, it’s very possible people may still have them at home. They are sold under multiple brand names, the producers said.
To date, 39 cases of E. coli in many states have been linked to the outbreak, including one death. The states where the people fell ill include Washington, Minnesota and New York, which had the most cases at five to eight each. Oregon and California each had three to four cases reported. The other states, each with a case or two, were Arkansas, Colorado, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas and Wyoming.
There’s no guarantee that washing carrots will remove the risk of E. coli. The same is true for freezing them. The vegetables should not be consumed. Instead, consumers are told to check their fridges and freezers and throw them away. All surfaces that may have come in contact with them should also be cleaned and sanitized.
E. coli is an illness caused by bacteria that is especially dangerous for young children, elderly adults and people who have a compromised immune system. It can cause severe and bloody diarrhea, fever, nausea and vomiting. In very severe cases, people can develop high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, hemolytic uremic syndrome and neurologic problems.
E. coli can be very dangerous.
Brands in the recall include 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, GreenWise, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organics, President’s Choice, Simple Truth, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans and Wholesome Pantry. All the recalled carrots are bagged, while some are cut and peeled and others are whole. There are also different-sized bags of carrots, depending on the brands.
The best way to tell if your bag of carrots has been recalled is to visit the U.S. Food and Drug Administration notice and look at the best-by dates.
The organic whole carrots don’t have a best-by date, but were available for purchase from August 14 to October 23.
The best-by dates on the organic baby carrots range from September 11 to November 12.