Lawsuit blames death on Dole plant salad, listeria outbreak

SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (AP) - A new wrongful death lawsuit alleges an Ohio woman died because she ate salad processed at a Dole plant linked to a listeria outbreak.

The Springfield News-Sun (http://bit.ly/1r3Ahbi ) reports the lawsuit says a 79-year-old Franklin County woman died in February after eating salad from Dole's Springfield plant.

The food processor is accused of failing to prevent contamination. The Westlake Village, California-based Dole declined to comment on the litigation.

In a separate lawsuit, Dole denied responsibility in a claim alleging a woman went into a coma after eating salad tainted by listeria.

The bacteria sometimes found in raw vegetables can lead to a gastrointestinal infection. Officials tracking the outbreak said 19 people reported illnesses in several states, and one person died in Michigan.

The plant shut down for about three months.

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Information from: Springfield News-Sun, http://www.springfieldnewssun.com