The residents of Long Island are seeing one of the worst foodborne illness outbreaks in its history.
This past weekend a total of twenty-eight (28) people attending various family parties, were sickened and twelve (12) taken to nearby Stony Brook University Hospital after eating at Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse on Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook, New York. Many experienced immediate projectile vomiting, with reports indicating eleven (11) attendees of a single party at the restaurant all falling ill and hospitalized overnight.
“We got an emergency page from our fire rescue and emergency services, with multiple 911 calls for vomiting, suspected food poisoning,” Suffolk County Health Commissioner Gregson Pigott said.
The culprit appears to be cooked rice that was not stored at the proper temperature. According to Pigott, “if you don’t have it at a proper temperature, spores can reactivate and become bacteria.”
Uncooked rice can contain bacillus cereus, which are bacteria spores that can and grow produce a toxin that causes vomiting if the rice is cooked and cooled slowly. It can also cause serious infections and septicemia.
The Suffolk County Department of Health has now issued 15 violations to the restaurant, including 8 for foodborne illness.
Harford, P.C. is a New York based law firm with experience litigating numerous food- outbreaks throughout the State. If you or someone you know was poisoned at the Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse, we are here to help.
Call us today at (212) 390-8983 or e-mail us at scott.harford@harford-law.com.
