On November 16, 2024, Grimmway Farms recalled select organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots that may be contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) O121:H19.
The California Department of Education Nutrition Services Division strongly recommends that food program operators take precautions to ensure these products are not served or consumed and instead are disposed of per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
A small number of Northern California schools that participate in the US Department of Agriculture Foods, Department of Defense Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (DoD Fresh) and ordered organic carrots through the DoD Prime Vendor, ProPacific Fresh, were affected by this recall. All impacted customers have already been contacted directly by ProPacific. If you have not received direct phone communication from ProPacific Fresh, you have not received recalled product.
The following information is directly from the FDA:
Grimmway Farms has issued a recall of select organic whole carrots and organic baby carrots that should no longer be in grocery stores but may be in consumers' refrigerators or freezers.
These products may have been contaminated with Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) O121:H19. E. coli O121:H19 is a bacterium that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people, and those with a weakened immune system. Some infections can cause severe bloody diarrhea conditions, such as a hemolytic uremic syndrome, or the development of high blood pressure, chronic kidney disease, and neurologic problems. Symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, fever, nausea, and/or vomiting. The incubation period for E. coli O121:H19 in humans can range from 24 hours to as much as ten days. The average incubation period is 3 to 4 days.
For further information on this recall, please visit the FDA Safety Alert Web page
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Contact Information
Consumers or program operators with questions about the carrot recall can call the Grimmway Farms customer services desk at 1-800-301-3101.
If you have any other questions regarding this subject, please contact Jeremy Partsch, Office Technician, by phone at 916-322-3005 or by email at jpartsch@cde.ca.gov.