A lot of time and energy goes into preparing Thanksgiving dinner, so it's important to avoid ruining your meal with potentially contaminated food.
Recently, several foods have been investigated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for possible disease outbreaks and contamination.
Here are three recalled foods you should know about ahead of the holiday season.
1. Organic carrots
The FDA has issued a voluntary recall. organic carrots by Grimmway Farms in California pending investigation into an E. coli outbreak.
The recall includes multiple sizes and brands of bagged organic whole and baby carrots.
Organic Whole Carrots were available for retail purchase from August 14th to October 23rd, 2024 from the following brands: 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Marketside, Nature's Promise, O Organics, President's Choice, Simple Truth, Trader Joe's, Wegmans, and Wholesome Pantry.
The recalled organic baby carrots have a specific expiration date listed on the bag, from September 11, 2024 to November 12, 2024.
Baby carrot brands include 365, Bunny Luv, Cal-Organic, Compliments, Full Circle, Good & Gather, GreenWise, Grimmway Farms, Kroger, LIDL, Marketside, Nature's Promise, O Organics, President's Choice, Raley's, Simple Truth, Sprouts and more. , Trader Joe's, Wegmans, Wholesome Pantry.
The organic whole carrot recall has been expanded to include a variety of bag sizes, including Bunny Luv 50-pound bags, Cal-Organic 15- and 50-pound bags, and Good & Gather 1-pound bags.
The FDA noted that while these products are likely “no longer available for sale over the counter,” they may still be in consumers' homes.
Other companies that used these products from Grimway Farms have issued their own recalls.
“Consumers should check their refrigerators and freezers and avoid eating recalled bagged organic whole or baby carrots,” the FDA wrote in the notice.
“If you have these products in your home, do not eat or use them; throw them away, and clean and disinfect surfaces they come in contact with,” the agency advised.
“If you have purchased organic whole or baby carrots and have stored them without their original packaging, and you are not sure which brand they are, you should not eat them and throw them away.”
2. Ground beef
Wolverine Packing Company of Detroit, Michigan, has recalled ground meat products due to possible E. coli contamination.
The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced on November 20 that manufacturers recalled approximately 168,000 pounds of potentially contaminated ground meat.
The “use by” date for fresh ground meat products is November 14, 2024, and the production date for frozen products is listed as October 22, 2024.
FSIS noted that these products were shipped to restaurants across the country and expressed concern that contaminated meat may still remain in refrigerators and freezers.
“Restaurants are asked not to serve these products,” the agency said in announcing the recall.
“These products should be discarded or returned to the place of purchase.”
3. Meat ready to eat
Yu Shang Food, Inc., Spartanburg, South Carolina, recalled approximately 73,000 pounds of ready-to-eat (RTE) meat and poultry products due to possible listeria contamination.
FSIS reissued this announcement on November 21, noting that all RTE products manufactured before October 28, 2024 and within their best-before dates are subject to the recall.
These products were shipped to retail stores nationwide and were also available for purchase online.
The agency warned that these products may be in consumers' refrigerators and freezers and urged buyers not to consume them.
“These products must be disposed of or returned to the point of purchase,” FSIS instructed.
Doctors offer safety tips
Exposure to Listeria monocytogenes can cause symptoms ranging from high fever to nausea and vomiting, but Fox News senior medical contributor Dr. Mark Siegel highlighted the dangers of E. coli infection.
“It causes bloody diarrhea and, in rare cases, kidney failure,” he told Fox News Digital. “Treatment with antibiotics is usually not given, because antibiotics kill the bacteria and can spread more toxins.”
Siegel said the chances of getting sick from this E. coli outbreak are “very low.” “More than £150,000 is involved but there are only 15 known cases,” he said.
My doctor gave me some recommendations to prevent infection.
“Please cook the meat. [at] “Don’t hold it above 160 degrees for too long,” he said. “Pay attention to changes in color and odor.”
“Washing produce does not always remove it. [but] Wash your hands. Keep produce and uncooked meat separate to avoid cross-contamination. ”
Fox News Digital has reached out to Yu Shang Foods, Grimmway Farms and Wolverine Packing Co. for comment.
