OHIO, USA — Ohio is among 18 states with reported cases of E. coli linked to various brands of bagged organic carrots.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that there has been at least one reported case in Ohio.
Altogether, 39 people were infected, 15 were hospitalized and one person died after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms.
Most of the infected people live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed by California and Oregon.
The CDC says the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses, and the true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported.
See the full map of reported cases here.
Grimmway Farms, based in Bakersfield, California, has recalled the carrots, which included whole and baby organic carrots sold in bags under multiple brand names including 365, Cal-Organic, Nature's Promise, O-Organics, Trader Joe's and Wegmans, among others.
See images of the products here.
The carrots are no longer in stores, but the CDC is warning consumers to not eat recalled bag carrots and to check their refrigerators or freezers and throw away any carrots that fit the description.
The recalled organic baby carrots have best-by dates ranging from Sept. 11 through Nov. 12, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Symptoms of E. coli infection usually start three to four days after eating the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. People with severe symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell the provider what they ate, the CDC said.
Consumers concerned about an illness should contact a medical professional.
