Dangerous Bacteria Found in Organic Carrots

You might want to think twice before munching on your favorite organic carrots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has linked an E. coli outbreak in 18 states to these seemingly healthy veggies. As of now, at least one person has died, and 39 others have fallen ill, with 15 of them needing hospital care. The problematic carrots, which include both baby and whole organic varieties, were recalled by Grimmway Farms on Saturday. These carrots might no longer be on store shelves, but they could still be lurking in your fridge. The recalled products were sold under many brand names, including Grimmway Farms itself, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, and more. The recalled baby carrots have best-if-used-by dates ranging from September 11 to November 12, while the whole carrots were available from around August 14 to October 23. If you find these carrots in your home, the CDC advises throwing them out or returning them to the store. Plus, clean any surfaces they might have touched to play it safe. It’s important to know that E. coli symptoms usually appear 3 to 4 days after consuming the bacteria. Most people recover in about 5 to 7 days without needing treatment. However, young children, seniors, and those with weakened immune systems are at higher risk. Grimmway Farms is taking this seriously and is working with health authorities to figure out what went wrong. They’re reviewing their growing, harvesting, and processing practices to make sure this doesn’t happen again.