Organic carrots sold in Canada, U.S. recalled in deadly E.coli outbreak

The FDA and CDC say public health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to several brands of recalled organic whole-bagged carrots and baby carrots.

One person has died and at least 39 others have fallen ill from E. coli infections linked to organic carrots distributed to retail centers in both Canada and the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The CDC and FDA announced on Sunday that public health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to several brands of recalled organic whole-bagged carrots and baby carrots distributed by Grimmway Farms, including the brands President’s Choice and Compliments, which are sold in Canada.

“Recalled products were shipped directly to retail distribution centers nationwide in the United States, Puerto Rico, and Canada,” the FDA statement said.

“These products should no longer be in grocery stores but may be in consumers’ refrigerators or freezers.”

Stores that carry the affected carrots include Walmart, Loblaw, Target, Kroger, Whole Foods, Amazon and Trader Joe’s, among other stores.

In Canada, President’s Choice is sold by Loblaw and Compliments in Sobeys.

Global News has contacted Health Canada for information on whether any Canadians have been sickened but did not hear back by the time of publication.

The carrots may have been contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) O121:H19, the FDA recall stated.