In late September and early October, 2003, health departments for the State of California and San Diego County began investigating an outbreak of E. coli infections, following reports of the illness from three area hospitals. Health department sources indicated then that the likely source of the outbreak was pre-mixed, pre-washed and packaged lettuce mix, and that those lettuce products had been voluntarily recalled. The News Release further stated that the lettuce product had been used by two school districts in San Diego County, Alpine Union School District and San Marcos Unified School District, as well as by a number of Pat & Oscar’s restaurants.
Health department agencies ultimately determined that over 50 persons in San Diego, Orange and Riverside Counties were victims of this outbreak tied to contaminated lettuce mix.