Canada Recalls Carrots Implicated in Fatal E. coli Outbreak Affecting U.S.
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Following a fatal Escherichia coli outbreak linked to organic carrots that has sickened people in multiple U.S. states, the Government of Canada is warning consumers not to eat recalled products.
Although no cases of illness associated with the outbreak have been reported in Canada at present, in the U.S., the outbreak has sickened at least 39 people, resulting in 15 hospitalizations and one death.
The vehicle of illness has been identified by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as organic whole and baby carrots produced by California-based Grimmway Farms, which have been distributed across North America and sold under various brand names. The carrots are contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O121:H9 (STEC O121:H9), and FDA is still investigating the source of contamination at Grimmway Farms and whether additional products are affected.
The Government of Canada is echoing FDA’s recall warning about Grimmway Farms carrots sold under different brand names, including Bunny-Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments Organic, and PC Organics. The full Canadian recall can be viewed here.
Update, November 21, 2024: FDA found that, in addition to Canada, implicated carrots from Grimmway Farms were distributed to Puerto Rico, Colombia, Hong Kong, and the United Arab Emirates. Grimmway Farms has directly notified international customers who received recalled products.
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