I really got the impression from the articles that I read that most of what are called baby carrots are now cut from carrots specifically grown for this purpose. The convenience of them drove the demand up so high and so fast that the supply of rejects couldn't nearly keep up. (And, again, many of those rejects were just misshapen, anyway.) So I wouldn't worry too much about the rot thing, especially if you're buying a quality organic. Even if they're not truly "baby" carrots, I think they're very likely to be pretty whole and fresh.

Sorry for the panic I seem to have caused. Munch away!

Beth N.