At least one person in Michigan sickened by E.coli linked to organic carrots

• An E. coli outbreak has reached Michigan. One case of the bacterial infection has been reported in the state so far  
• The outbreak has been linked to organic carrots
• Michigan is one of 18 states with known cases

A national E.coli outbreak linked to organic carrots has reached Michigan. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Sunday that at least one person in the state has been infected. 

The outbreak has infected 39 people and hospitalized 15 across 18 states. The CDC also reported one death.  

Federal officials have linked the outbreak to organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms, headquartered in Bakersfield, Calif,. The supplier has issued a recall on organic whole carrots that were available for purchase at retail stores from Aug. 14 through Oct. 23. and organic baby carrots with best-if-used-by dates from Sept.11 through Nov 12.

Brands of the recalled whole organic carrots include 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Marketside, Nature's Promise, O-Organic, President's Choice, Simple Truth, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry. 

Brands of the baby recalled baby organic carrots 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, Sprouts, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry. 

“We take our role in ensuring the safety and quality of our products seriously,” said Jeff Huckaby, president and CEO of Grimmway Farms in a press statement Saturday. “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.”

Related:

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The E.coli outbreak has also sickened people in Arkansas, California, Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wyoming, though the CDC says the outbreak may not be limited to states with known illnesses. 

What to do if you have these products 

If you have any of the recalled carrots in your refrigerator, the CDC recommends that you discard them immediately and wash any items or surfaces that may have touched the recalled carrots.

Businesses that have the recalled carrots in stock should not sell or serve them. 

Symptoms of E. coli 

E.coli is a bacteria that people can contract when consuming contaminated food or water or come in contact with people, animals or environments where the bacteria is present. 

There are several strains of E. coli but the CDC has listed E. coli O121 as the source of the outbreak. Symptoms of this strain include: 

• Bloody diarrhea for more than three days 
• Fever higher than 102 degrees.
• Excessive vomiting that prevents you from keeping liquids down 
• Symptoms of E.coli are usually present three to four days after swallowing the bacteria but most people recover within five to seven days.

However, some people may develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure, according to the CDC.

People who are at increased risk 

Children younger than 5, adults 65 and older, people with weakened immune systems and international travelers are at an increased risk of becoming seriously sick, according to the CDC. 

Each year, roughly 48 million people are sickened by foodborne illnesses, 128,000 people are hospitalized and 3,000 die.