This month, carrots sold at popular retailers across the country like Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Target have been linked to an E. coli outbreak, and while the affected products have been pulled from shelves, they could still be in your refrigerator.
Your carrots may be at risk if they are organic whole carrots purchased between August 14 and October 23, or organic baby carrots with best-if-used-by dates between September 11 and November 12, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The CDC also released a specified list of contaminated brands, which includes Cal-Organic, Good & Gather, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s and more. The strain was traced back to products from Bakersfield-based Grimmway Farms, one of the nation’s biggest carrot producers.
About 39 people have contracted E. coli from carrots nationwide this November, according to the CDC. The Los Angeles Department of Public Health is investigating two local cases, one of which resulted in the only death of this outbreak so far, according to a press release published today.
“We take our role in ensuring the safety and quality of our products seriously,” said Grimmway Farms President and CEO Jeff Huckaby in a November 16 press release. “The health of our customers and the integrity of our products are our highest priorities, and we are conducting a thorough review of our growing, harvest, and processing practices. Our food safety team is working with our suppliers and health authorities.”
The carrots on the shelves are safe now, according to Grimmway Farms, but some customers, like USC PhD bioengineering student Helma Zareian, are still wary.
“Bacteria and infection are serious,” Zareian said, standing outside the USC Village Trader Joe’s. This is the nearest grocery store to her home, and she said it’s her first option for fresh produce. “In the case of vegetables – those are really important – maybe I won’t buy those from here anymore,” she added.
Others say they can’t trust Trader Joe’s anymore after the outbreak.
“Normally I trust Trader Joe’s more than most places because they have a lot of organic products other stores don’t have, so that’s kind of scary,” Ava Diope, a sophomore international relations major said.
Any carrots that potentially contain E. coli bacteria should be thrown away or returned to the store, said Dr. Jemma Alarcon, director of the Food and Water Safety Unit at the L.A. County Department of Public Health. The surfaces they have touched should also be cleaned and disinfected.
Trader Joe’s public relations manager Nakia Rohde said USC students can return contaminated products to Trader Joe’s for a full refund.
In most cases, E. coli is non-fatal and doesn’t require medical treatment. You may, however, experience symptoms like stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea and vomiting. Alarcon said most E. coli cases are harmless, but individuals above 65 who have pre-existing medical conditions are the most vulnerable to serious infection.
If you experience more severe symptoms, the infection may be affecting kidney problems and should see a doctor immediately.
The only way to kill E. coli bacteria in fresh produce is to cook it to an internal temperature of at least 165°F, according to a medical contributor at CBS News.
“The biggest misconception is that you can wash it away and you can’t. You can cook it away, but you can’t wash it away,” said Rita Burke, a USC professor of clinical population and public health sciences.
E. coli illnesses are contagious. Burke recommends hand-washing as the most important preventative measure. With proper public hygiene practices, she said students should not be too concerned.
“I mean, this happens from time to time, we recently had an outbreak at McDonald’s. It does show how vulnerable we are in terms of our supply chain,” she said. “When it comes to fruits and vegetables, it’s just an inherent risk of how we get our food.”