A Los Angeles County senior has died amid a nationwide recall for carrots found to be contaminated with E. coli.
Two additional local cases are under investigation, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. As of Sunday, at least 39 people in the U.S. had contracted the virus, with 18 hospitalized in 15 states.
The Centers for Disease Control said in a statement that the affected products, bagged whole carrots and baby carrots grown in Bakersfield and sold by Grimway Farms in various grocery stores, are no longer on store shelves. He said there was no line up.
However, the carrots were on store shelves from mid-August to late October, so consumers should check their refrigerators and throw out or return any carrots that may be contaminated.
The brands of carrots suspected of being contaminated include 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, and Sprouts. is. Trader Joe’s, Wegmans and Wholesome Pantry, according to the CDC.
There have been several E. coli outbreaks in recent months. In October, more than 100 McDonald’s customers became ill in the United States after an E. coli outbreak linked to onion fillets. In June, an E. coli outbreak linked to lettuce killed one person and sickened at least 275 people in the UK. In April, organic walnuts caused E. coli infections in consumers in 19 states.
E. coli causes infections that are especially dangerous for young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems. Symptoms typically appear three to four days after exposure and include “severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and vomiting,” according to the Food and Drug Administration.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
