Carrot recall at Costco, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Wegmans and more linked to E. coli outbreak
Amid a nationwide recall of whole and baby organic carrots affecting popular stores from Costco to Aldi, the distributor that initiated the recall, Grimmway Farms, has released a new update.
“Consumers should feel confident that the carrots available for purchase on store shelves today are safe,” Grimmway Farms president and CEO Jeff Huckaby said in a statement to NBC News on Nov. 24. “The health of our consumers and the integrity of our products are our highest priorities.”
The recall had been linked to an E. coli outbreak in organic whole and baby carrots, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Over a dozen brands sourced from Grimmway Farms — including Bunny Luv, Cal Organic, Trader Joe’s and 365 Whole Foods — have been recalled. Other stores that sold the affected products include Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, Wegmans and more.
E. coli is a bacteria that can cause serious illness when consumed by certain populations. So far, 39 illnesses, 15 hospitalizations and one death has been associated with the outbreak. Cases have been reported in 18 states.
In a previous press release about the recall, Huckaby said that the company is reviewing its “growing, harvest and processing practices. ... Our food safety team is working with our suppliers and health authorities."
While the recalled whole and baby carrots are no longer available to purchase in stores, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is encouraging consumers to check for them in fridges or freezers.
"If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them, throw them away, and clean and sanitize surfaces they touched. Consumers concerned about an illness should contact a medical professional," the FDA said.
Here's what else to know about the carrot recall.
Carrot recall 2024 and E. coli outbreak
The FDA announced in November 2024 that two types of bagged, organic carrots — baby and whole carrots — produced by Grimmway Farms and sold under a variety of brand names were being recalled.
The following day, the CDC announced that the carrots may be linked to an ongoing 18-state outbreak of E. coli, a potentially deadly type of bacteria.
Both agencies are urging consumers to check for the recalled carrots in their homes and to dispose of and not to eat them if they find any. The products are no longer available to purchase in stores.
At least one person, who was over 65 and had medical conditions, has died as a result of the outbreak, according to Los Angeles County officials. Fifteen have been hospitalized, along with 39 confirmed illnesses, but the real number is likely higher, per the CDC.
Another produce distributor, F&S Fresh Foods, had also issued a recall in relation to the Grimmway Farms recall, according to the FDA. F&S Fresh Foods received organic carrots from Grimmway Farms before distributing them to Whole Foods Market stores in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho and Nevada. Its recalled products include organic carrot sticks, and organic carrots and celery.
Some (but not all) stores that have sold the recalled carrots include:
Costco
Trader Joe's
Wegmans
Aldi
Target
Publix
365 Whole Foods Market
Kroger
Albertsons
Organic carrots recall list
The bagged carrots being recalled were produced by Grimmway Farms and sold under the following brand names in the follow sizes:
Bagged, whole organic carrots: brands and sizes
These carrots did not have best-by dates on their packaging. They were sold between Aug. 14 and Oct. 23, 2024.
365; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Bunny Luv; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 10lb, 25lb, 50lb
Cal-Organic; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 6lb, 10lb, 15lb, 25lb, 50lb
Compliments; 2lb
Full Circle; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Good & Gather; 1lb, 2lb
GreenWise; 1lb, 25lbs
Marketside; 2lb
Nature’s Promise; 1lb, 5lb
O-Organics; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb, 10lb
President’s Choice; 2lb
Simple Truth; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Trader Joe’s; 1lb
Wegmans; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Wholesome Pantry; 1lb, 2lb, 5lb
Bagged, organic baby carrots: brands and sizes
365; 12oz, 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Nov. 2, 2024.
Bunny Luv; 1lb, 2lb, 3lb, 5lb; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Nov. 12, 2024.
Cal-Organic; 12oz, 1lb, 2lb, 2pk/2lbs; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Nov. 2, 2024.
Compliments; 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 14, 2024, through Oct. 24, 2024.
Full Circle; 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 14, 2024, through Oct. 24, 2024.
Good & Gather; 12oz, 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 14, 2024, through Nov. 2, 2024.
GreenWise; 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Oct. 26, 2024.
Grimmway Farms; 25 lb bag; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Oct. 3, 2024.
Marketside; 12oz, 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Nov. 2, 2024.
Nature’s Promise; 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 13, 2024, through, Oct. 25, 2024.
O-Organics; 12oz, 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Nov. 2, 2024.
President’s Choice; 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 11, 2024, through Nov. 2, 2024.
Raley’s; 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 14, 2024, through Oct. 23, 2024.
Simple Truth; 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 14, 2024 through Nov. 2, 2024.
Sprouts; 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 13, 2024, through Nov. 4, 2024.
Trader Joe’s; 1lb; best-by dates from Sept. 13, 2024, through Nov. 4, 2024.
Wegmans; 12oz, 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates from Sept. 14, 2024 through Nov. 2, 2024.
Wholesome Pantry; 1lb, 2lb; best-by dates through Sept. 16, 2024, through Nov. 7, 2024.
Organic carrot sticks in clam shells
Two types of organic carrot sticks sold at Whole Foods Market are being recalled because the distributor, F&S Fresh Foods, received its carrots from Grimmway Farms.
Per the FDA, hese recalled carrot sticks will have a code“GH” followed by three digits ranging from 236-284. The best if sold by dates range from Sept. 1, 2024 to Oct. 19, 2024.
The affected product names are:
Whole Foods Market Organic Carrot Sticks
Whole Foods Market Organic Carrots and Celery
Carrot recall: Which states are affected?
The FDA did not specify which states the carrots were sold in. However, the CDC has kept track of which states have reported cases of E. coli linked to consuming the recalled carrots.
These states are:
Wyoming
Washington
Virginia
Texas
South Carolina
Pennsylvania
Oregon
Ohio
North Carolina
New York
New Jersey
Missouri
Minnesota
Michigan
Massachusetts
Colorado
California
Arkansas
The states that have reported the most cases are Washington state, Minnesota and New York.
Symptoms of E. coli
Symptoms of infection with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the CDC. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli can also also lead to developing a serious kidney condition.
Symptoms typically appear about three to four days after consuming the infected food, according to the CDC. Those who are experiencing symptoms of an E.coli infection should seek medical attention.
Does heat kill E. coli?
Cooking all parts of a food to a temperature of about 160 degrees Fahrenheit usually kills any E. coli bacteria that may be present, according to the World Health Organization. This applies to both meat, like ground beef, and vegetables, like greens and carrots.
Washing produce does not get rid of E. coli bacteria.
How does E. coli get into carrots?
E. coli can get into produce in a variety of ways. Cattle is believed to be the biggest reservoir of E. coli bacteria, so contamination can occur if infected cattle feces gets into water or soil used to grow crops, or if there is cross-contamination during food cultivation or packaging, according to the World Health Organization.
The Grimmway Farms recall follows a wave of recent recalls and food-borne illness outbreaks around the country. Data from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration shows the number of recalls in the U.S. has been steadily increasing over the last few years, TODAY.com previously reported.
This article was originally published on TODAY.com
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