Carrot Recall For E. Coli Risk Now Includes Vegetable Medleys

An E. coli outbreak previously linked to organic carrot products has now expanded to include multiple types of packaged vegetable medleys. According to an announcement published by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 2, California-based distributor 4Earth Farms, LLC is recalling various vegetable medley products after learning of the E. coli outbreak originally reported by Grimmway Farms in November 2024. 4Earth Farms issued the voluntary recall after identifying which products contained potentially contaminated carrots supplied by Grimmway Farms.

In addition to the carrots previously implicated in the E. coli outbreak, a product list that includes organic vegetable medleys, vegetable medleys, and stir-fry medleys from the brands Wild Harvest, Marketside, 4Earth Farms, and Grimmway are all at risk of contamination. These food items were distributed in New Hampshire, Florida, California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Illinois, and Colorado and were sold by retailers and grocers such as Walmart, Sprouts, and Albert Organics. A detailed list of all affected distributors, including specific UPC codes and Sell-By dates for the recalled products, is available on the FDA's company announcement.

Shoppers may want to double-check their vegetable drawers out of an abundance of caution. Fortunately, none of the affected grocery stores currently have recalled food products distributed by 4Earth Farms on their shelves for consumer purchase, as the expiration dates on all potentially contaminated foods "have been expired for more than three weeks," according to the FDA. However, food safety experts still urge shoppers to check their refrigerators and freezers to ensure that the products are not consumed. If you identify a recalled product in your home, dispose of it immediately and thoroughly clean and sanitize the area where it was stored.

As of this writing, there have been 39 reported illnesses connected to the Grimmway Farms E. coli outbreak, including 15 hospitalizations and one death. There have been no illnesses reported in connection with the expanded 4Earth Farms recall of vegetable medley products. E. coli has previously caused deadly outbreaks in the U.S. and is a serious form of food poisoning. Any foods that may be contaminated should not be consumed. If you ingest food that may carry E. coli bacteria, seek medical attention immediately, as the infection can become life-threatening, especially for vulnerable groups such as young children, people with weakened immune systems, and those over the age of 65.