An E. coli outbreak in Orange County has been traced to a Souplantation restaurant

SANTA ANA – An E. coli outbreak in Orange County has been traced to a Souplantation restaurant, health officials said Monday.

The seven people who tested positive for the dangerous bacterium dined at the same Souplantation in Lake Forest, six of them on March 23 or March 24, said Howard Sutter, spokesman for the county's Health Care Agency. The seventh could not confirm an exact date.

Authorities have yet to determine the source. The restaurant was allowed to remain open after health inspectors concluded its food and conditions were safe, Sutter said.

The seven cases were reported to county authorities in recent days. Three of those sickened were hospitalized, although their symptoms were not considered life threatening, Sutter said.

Ken Keane, president of Souplantation's parent Garden Fresh Restaurant Corp., said in a statement that the company was working with health officials to investigate the contamination source and “remain committed to the highest level of quality, cleanliness and service.”

“The health and welfare of our guests and employees is always our top priority,” Keane said.