Laboratory tests from the US Department of Agriculture have confirmed E. coli bacteria in two bags of Dole prepackaged lettuce.
The bags had the same “best if used by” date as those identified as the possible source of an E. coli outbreak in Minnesota that have resulted in 17 confirmed cases of E. coli and eight hospitalizations.
The USDA believes this is the first time a laboratory has been able to isolate E. coli from lettuce in an outbreak.
Investigators still haven’t determined how the bacteria got into the lettuce bags.