Undercooking played a role in the deadly morel mushroom outbreak at Dave’s Sushi in Montana in 2023, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak included 51 customers who dined at the restaurant in March and April and ate meals containing morel mushrooms imported from China. Three people were hospitalized, two of them died. A specific pathogen was not identified.

The outbreak patients consumed meals containing raw or lightly cooked mushrooms. Other restaurants that received mushrooms from the same importer served them thoroughly cooked and had no reports of illness.

“The findings from this investigation suggest that uncooked or undercooked morel mushrooms were the likely source of the outbreak. The epidemiologic study demonstrated a clear association between consumption of the special sushi roll with morels and gastrointestinal illness, including a dose-response relationship, and an apparent stronger association among persons who ate the morels on a day when the morels served by restaurant A were reportedly uncooked,” the report states.

Dave's Sushi morel mushrooms

Do You Need a Food Poisoning Lawyer?

Restaurants are the most common setting of food poisoning outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Pritzker Hageman food safety attorneys have successfully represented clients nationwide who were sickened by restaurant food.

You can sue a restaurant for food poisoning if you can prove that the food you ate made you sick. Generally, this requires a food poisoning diagnosis, a restaurant receipt, and the ability to show quantifiable harm. Our experienced food safety lawyers can help you determine if you have a case.

If you or a family member were sickened by food you ate at Dave’s Sushi and you would like a free consultation with one of our experienced food poisoning lawyers please contact us today. You can reach us by calling 1-888-377-8900, sending a text to 612-261-0856, or completing the form below. There is no obligation and you never owe anything at all unless we win.