Health officials: E. coli outbreak possibly tied to Evergreens Salad restaurants
SEATTLE -- Health officials are investigating an outbreak of E. coli cases possibly connected to four Evergreens Salad restaurants.
Public Health of Seattle & King County said Tuesday that seven people became ill earlier this month, and six of them reported eating raw vegetables from Evergreens restaurants.
Officials say the E. coli strain associated with this string of illnesses is different from the nationwide outbreak tied to romaine lettuce grown in Salinas, Calif.
The four Evergreens restaurants associated with this outbreak are:
One of the people who became sick was hospitalized but has since been discharged. The cause of the local outbreak is still under investigation.
Evergreens issued the following statement Tuesday evening:
Food safety is our top priority. We work every day using best practices so the food in our restaurants is safe and healthy. We have been in close contact with the health department and continue to cooperate fully to learn more about the source of the issue.
The company has provided a hotline for any customers with concerns about E. coli at (877) 394-4146.