Lettuce Likely Source Of E. Coli Outbreak

Romaine lettuce is the probable source of an E. coli bacteria outbreak that sickened up to 20 diners at a Boise restaurant last month, health officials said.

The lettuce apparently was contaminated after it reached the Chili’s restaurant on Broadway and not when it was picked, packed or shipped, Tom Turco, director of environmental health for the Central District Health Department, said Thursday.

Mike Mantooth, director of operations for the Boise Chili’s, said the restaurant has changed suppliers and started using a bleach wash on its lettuce.

An investigation is continuing.

Meanwhile, the health department said it was reviewing its policy on when to notify the public about an outbreak of food poisoning. Officials did not notify the public about last month’s outbreak. Word leaked out two weeks later, on Oct. 7.