A California-based company has recalled bags of fresh microwaveable baby carrots – sold in the Denver area at King Soopers and City Market – because of possible contamination with the bacteria Shigella.
The carrots were produced by the Los Angeles Salad Co., located in City of Industry, Calif., under the label “Los Angeles Salad Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots.” They were sold in 7- and 8-ounce packages with freshness dates up to Aug. 16.
The recalled carrots were also sold under the label “Trader Joe’s Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots” dated to Aug. 8, although that product is not available in Colorado.
The recall covers 12 states and was prompted by four reported illnesses in Canada from Aug. 4 through 6. The Canadian consumers ate the uncooked carrots from the bag, a company spokesman said. No illnesses associated with the carrots have been reported in the U.S., federal and state health officials said.
The produce recall is the first involving Shigella this year and comes on the heels of a nationwide recall in 2006 of E. coli-tainted ready-to-eat spinach that killed three people and sickened more than 200. That event heightened public awareness about fresh produce and how it’s brought to market.
“The public just assumes that ready-to-eat means uncontaminated, and that’s not true. There is always a risk,” said Nancy Donley, president of Safe Tables Our Priority, a national food-safety advocacy group made up of victims of food-borne illness and their families.
Unlike E. coli, which comes from animal excrement, Shigella is transmitted by human feces. It is contracted by consuming food or liquids prepared by an infected person, typically a food preparer who used a toilet and neglected to wash his or her hands. It can also be transmitted when uncooked food such as produce is washed with contaminated water.
Though sold in the fresh- produce section, the carrots are marketed to be eaten hot – cooking kills the bacteria – not raw, company spokesman David Umansky said.
King Soopers and City Market, both owned by Kroger Co., sell “very few” of the recalled carrots, spokesman Trail Daugherty said.
Consumers can return the carrots to the store for a refund.
Investigators never determined the source of the E. coli- contaminated spinach but narrowed it to a farm field that included the presence of wild pigs and nearby irrigation wells exposed to cattle feces.
Health officials wouldn’t say washing the produce makes it safe from Shigella and don’t recommend cooking the recalled product.
“There shouldn’t be any Shigella on a carrot to begin with,” said Patti Klocker, assistant director of consumer protection at the state health department.
Staff writer David Migoya can be reached at 303-954-1506 or dmigoya@denverpost.com.
Nausea-inducing bacteria
Colorado is one of 12 states where baby carrots were sold that may be contaminated with Shigella bacteria:
Products
Los Angeles Salad Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots: With a sell-by date up to and including Aug. 16, sold in 7-ounce and 8-ounce bags
Trader Joe’s Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots: With a sell-by date up to and including Aug. 8, sold in 7-ounce bags
Shigella symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Fever
- Vomiting
Where to call
626-322-9017
Q&A
What you need to know about the carrot recall:
Q: What’s being recalled, and where was it sold in Colorado?
A: “Los Angeles Salad Genuine Sweet Baby Carrots” in 7- and 8-ounce microwavable packages with freshness dates up to Aug. 16 and sold at King Soopers and City Market stores.
Q: What if you have one of the recalled packages?
A: Dispose of it or return it to the store where you purchased it for a refund.
Q: What is Shigella?
A: It is a bacteria found in the feces of an infected person and is spread, typically via food preparation, when carriers don’t wash their hands after using the toilet. It can also be transmitted via fresh food washed with contaminated water.
Q: What are symptoms associated with Shigella?
A: Diarrhea, fever, cramps, nausea and sometimes vomiting. Symptoms usually begin one to three days after infection and last three to 10 days. Some people have no symptoms.
Q: Can Shigella-contaminated products be eaten safely simply by cooking or washing them?
A: Though washing and cooking are important sanitary procedures in preparing food, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment does not recommend cooking and eating any contaminated food product.
