The Organic Vegetable Causing E. Coli Outbreaks Across 18 States

When foodies embark on their weekly grocery run, packaging buzzwords like "organic" might be the factor that helps them decide which bundle of carrots to buy. Spotting the word "organic" might even be justification enough to shell out $1.50 more for the same-sized bag of carrots versus a non-organic version. "Organic" must mean healthier and overall better...right?

Now, organic carrots are at the center of a mass-recall: A multi-state outbreak of Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121:H19.On November 16, Grimmway Farms (one of the largest carrot suppliers in the world, based in Bakersfield, CA) voluntarily issued the recall. Grimmway Farms works with a multitude of distributors and retailers nationwide including Kroger, Publix, Target, Trader Joe's, Walmart, Wegmans, Whole Foods, and more. This recall includes nearly 20 popular grocery store brands of both whole and baby bagged organic carrots.

At least 39 reported illnesses, 15 hospitalizations, and one death have been linked to the contaminated carrots. Reported cases span 18 states, with the highest concentration of illnesses appearing in Washington, New York, and Minnesota. Most people recover from E. coli on their own in a few days without medical intervention, notes the CDC, so the actual number of sick individuals connected to this outbreak is likely far higher than the figures reported. Consumers who have purchased organic carrots included in the recall are being advised to throw them away and sanitize any surfaces they might have touched in the kitchen.

Considering produce has a narrow shelf life in stores, the CDC estimates that the affected batch has probably worked its way off of most supermarket shelves already. But, if there's a bag of carrots stocked in your fridge right now, you should take a close look at the packaging. The recalled batch of baby carrots is printed with best-if-used-by dates from September 11 to November 12, 2024. The whole carrots were not printed with best-if-used-by dates, but they were available for purchase in stores between August 14 through October 23, 2024 (meaning the issue began months ago). 

The E. coli outbreak has affected bagged organic carrots by 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Marketside, Nature's Promise, O-Organic, President's Choice, Raley's, Simple Truth, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and Wholesome Pantry brands. A full list of products, brands, and their specific best-by dates is available via the official FDA report.

According to the CDC, contaminated fruits and veggies are responsible for roughly 46% of the millions of foodborne illnesses that occur in the U.S. every single year. Still, eating fruits and vegetables is a crucial part of a nutritious diet, and according to Charlotte Vallaeys, senior policy analyst at Consumer Reports, even though organic food is grown without the use of synthetic pesticides, "there is little evidence that organic produce is less vulnerable to E. coli outbreaks than conventional produce." So, what are conscious consumers to do?