Organic and baby carrots sold at grocery stores across the United States have been recalled after an E. coli outbreak killed one person.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 15 people have been hospitalized and 39 cases have been reported in 18 states.
The recall includes bags of carrots sold by Grimway Farms to major supermarkets such as Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods 365, Target’s Good & Gather, Walmart Marketside, and Wegmans.
Officials say the affected products are likely no longer in stores, but may still be in your home and should be thrown away or returned to the store for a refund. .
The majority of those infected live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed by California and Oregon, according to the Associated Press.
The recalled organic whole carrots do not have expiration dates on the bags, but they were available for purchase from Aug. 14 to Oct. 23, according to the CDC. Organic baby carrots with a best-before date of September 11th to November 12th will also be recalled.
The CDC added that in addition to disposing of recalled products, all surfaces that people may have touched should be cleaned and disinfected.
Symptoms of O121 E. coli include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting, usually starting 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.
Most people recover without treatment, but some develop serious kidney problems and may require hospitalization, the CDC added.
The E. coli cases linked to carrots come after another high-profile outbreak in the United States linked to shredded onions in some McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers. 104 people became ill.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) previously announced one death and 34 hospitalizations in October related to the outbreak.
