California lettuce possible source of Taco John's E-coli

(AP) - Health officials say California-grown lettuce may be a source of the E-coli outbreak at Taco John's restaurants in Minnesota and Iowa.

The outbreak sickened more than 80 people who'd eaten at Taco John's in the two states late last year. Twenty-six were hospitalized. There were no deaths.

State and federal investigators say they've matched the bacteria strain associated with the outbreak to samples from dairy farms in California's Central Valley. The farms lie near lettuce fields.

Federal investigators are checking to see whether manure from the dairy farms could have somehow tainted the lettuce-growing areas.

The Taco John's incidents came about the same time as an outbreak that affected dozens of patrons of Taco Bell restaurants in the Northeast. The two outbreaks are not thought to be linked.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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