One person dead and dozens ill after eating contaminated carrots

One person has died and dozens have fallen ill after contracting E.coli from bagged organic carrots.

In total, 39 people were infected and 15 taken to hospital in 18 states after they ate the carrots (both whole and baby) sold by Grimmway Farms, which is based in California.

Most of the people affected live in New York, Minnesota and Washington state, followed by California and Oregon.

Grimmway Farms has recalled the carrots, which are sold under multiple brand names across the United States.

And while the carrots are no longer in stores, the Centre for Disease Control has warned people to check their fridges and freezers and throw away any potentially infected carrots.

It is the latest in a series of E.coli outbreaks. In October, more than a hundred US McDonald’s customers became unwell in an outbreak linked to slivered onions.

In June in the UK, one person died in an outbreak linked to lettuce, that also made 275 other people sick.

Organic walnuts were linked to an outbreak in 19 US states in April.

Symptoms of E.coli usually begin three to four days after eating the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.

It can be fatal in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems.