An outbreak of E. coli linked to live carrots leaves one person dead and dozens sick across the US

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is investigating the outbreak of E. coli in at least 18 states linked to some live carrots, resulting in at least one death.

At least 39 cases of E. coli have been linked to carrots since early September, resulting in 15 hospitalizations and one death, according to the CDC.

Incidence of E. coli reported were linked to double-sized and baby varieties of bagged and whole carrots recalled Saturday by Grimmway Farms, a carrot producer headquartered in Bakersfield, California.

The returned carrots may no longer be sold in stores but may still be in people’s homes, Grimmway Farms warns. People who have recalled carrots should take them out or return them to the store and clean the areas they touched, the CDC said.

The recall includes baby carrots with best-before dates from September 11 to November 12 and whole carrots available in stores from August 14 to October 23.

The products were sold under multiple brand names, including Grimmway Farms, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, Good & Gather and others, according to the recall notice.

Reported infections may not catch all of the disease, because it can take up to four weeks to determine that a sick person is part of an outbreak, and many people with the disease recover without medical help and are never tested for E. coli. , according to the CDC.

Most people infected with E. coli that produces Shiga toxin, the strain linked to the recalled carrots, usually start showing symptoms about 3 to 4 days after eating the bacteria and recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days, according to the agency.

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk of infection, the CDC says.

Customers should call a healthcare provider if they develop symptoms of E. coli, which include diarrhea, fever, vomiting and dizziness, the agency advises.

Grimmway Farms says its food and safety team is working with suppliers and health authorities to respond to the outbreak.

“We take our role in ensuring the safety and quality of our products very seriously,” Grimmway Farms President and CEO Jeff Huckaby said in a statement. “The health of our customers and the integrity of our products are our top priorities, and we carefully examine our growing, harvesting and processing methods.”

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