Dozens are sickened and 1 person died after eating carrots contaminated
with E. coli
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[November 18, 2024]
CATHY BUSSEWITZ
NEW YORK (AP) — An outbreak of E. coli has infected dozens of people who
ate bagged organic carrots, and one person died from the infection.
Altogether, 39 people were infected and 15 were hospitalized in 18
states after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway
Farms, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said
Sunday.
Grimmway Farms, based in Bakersfiled, California, has recalled the
carrots, which included whole and baby organic carrots sold in bags
under multiple brand names including 365, Cal-Organic, Nature's Promise,
O-Organics, Trader Joe's and Wegmans, among others.
The carrots are no longer in stores, but the CDC is warning consumers to
not eat recalled bag carrots and to check their refrigerators or
freezers and throw away any carrots that fit the description. Most of
the infected people live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed
by California and Oregon, although infections have been reported in
states throughout the country, according to the CDC.
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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.
The recalled organic baby carrots have best-by dates ranging from
Sept. 11 through Nov. 12, according to the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration.
Symptoms of E. coli infection usually start three to four days after
eating the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea,
which is often bloody, and vomiting. People with severe symptoms of
an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell the
provider what they ate, the CDC said.
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.
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