Organic carrots linked to deadly E. coli O121:H19 outbreak

Organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots have been linked to a 39-case outbreak of E. coli O121:H19 in the United States.

Cases have been reported in 18 states; fifteen people have been hospitalized.

One person has died in California.

Outbreak victims range in age from 1 to 75 years old.

Grimmway Farms has recalled the following carrots, which were shipped directly to retail distribution centers nationwide in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

Organic whole carrots, which do not have a best-if-used-by date printed on the bag, but were available for purchase at retail stores from August 14 through October 23, 2024,
Organic baby carrots with best-if-used-by-dates ranging from September 11 through November 12, 2024. The recalled carrots should not be available for purchase in stores but may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.

According to the FDA, the recalled carrots should no longer be in grocery stores but may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.

Organic whole carrots were sold in bags of various sizes under multiple brand names, including: 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, Greenwise, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organics, President’s Choice, Simple Truth, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, and Wholesome Pantry.

Organic baby carrots were sold in multiple bag sizes under the brand names: 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, Greenwise, Grimmway Farms, Kroger, LIDL, Marketside, Nature’s Promise, O-Organics, President’s Choice, Raley’s, Simple Truth, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s, Wegmans, and Wholesome Pantry.

Grimmway initiated the recall after being advised by the CDC that these carrots may be “associated” with the E. coli O121:H19 outbreak.

None of the recalled carrots have tested positive for E. coli O121:H19, according to Grimmway.

The first news of the outbreak was contained in the FDA’s weekly Investigation of Foodborne Illness Outbreaks report, posted on November 6, 2024, and updated on November 14, 2024.

According to the CDC, outbreak cases have been reported in Arkansas (1), California (3), Colorado (1), Massachusetts (1), Michigan (1), Minnesota (5), Missouri (1), North Carolina (1), New Jersey (2), New York (5), Ohio (1), Oregon (3), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (2), Texas (1), Virginia (1), Washington (8), and Wyoming (1).

No information has been released as to the distribution of outbreak cases across the United States.

Although the implicated carrots are no longer available for purchase, they may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers. Consumers who purchased any of the carrots listed in the recall notice should check their refrigerators and freezers, discard any remaining product, and clean and sanitize any surfaces with which they may have come into contact.

Consumers with questions or products in their possession may contact our customer services desk at 1-800-301-3101, M-F, 8 am – 8 pm ET, and November 16-17, 8 am – 8 pm ET, or visit www.grimmway.com.