Suspected foodborne illness at sushi restaurant linked to two deaths

Two Montanans have passed away after eating at Dave’s Sushi restaurant in Bozeman. Other customers who dined at the restaurant have also fallen ill in an outbreak of foodborne illness suspected to be caused by morel mushrooms, according to the Gallatin County Health Department and Montana Department of Health and Human Services (DPHHS). Health and police department investigations into the matter are open and ongoing and the deaths have not been confirmed as being caused by foodborne illness.

On April 21, Dave’s Sushi made a Facebook post that stated they were aware that several customers who dined in the restaurant on April 17 had become ill. “We believe that the common ingredient that may have been consumed was FDA-approved, cultured morel mushrooms used in Monday’s special roll,” the statement read. According to the post, the restaurant proceeded to contact the Gallatin County Health Department and voluntarily closed while the investigation proceeds.

A press release disseminated by the Gallatin County Health Department and the DPHHS on May 3 said its investigation identified at least 30 individuals associated with this outbreak who ate at the restaurant between March 31 and April 17. “Three individuals had severe outcomes, including hospitalizations, and the deaths of two individuals are being investigated after eating at the restaurant,” it said.

The press release also said that preliminary findings indicate that food containing morel mushrooms may be causing the illnesses and that no pathogen or toxin has been identified.

According to the press release, an estimated 48 million Americans become sick every year from foodborne illness.

Broadwater County Sheriff and Coroner Nick Rauser said his office received a call the morning of April 18 about a man who had passed away after eating at Dave’s Sushi the night before and became violently ill. “We did an autopsy and are currently waiting on the autopsy results,” Rauser said. 

Rauser said it is not his office’s place to link the death to the restaurant. “Our job is simply to determine the cause of death. We’re waiting for some toxicology results to get done, then we’ll know the cause of death.”

A press release issued by the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department on April 30 informed the public of a second death that the department characterized as being “suspected to be related to a foodborne illness.” 

The Gallatin County Sheriff's Department also said that the cause and manner of death for the second person will remain pending until autopsy and toxicology results are available. There is no current public safety concern, the sheriff’s department wrote.

Dave’s Sushi has closed its doors until further notice, and the Gallatin County Health Department wrote that the owners and staff of the establishment have offered their full cooperation in their investigations, according to its statement. 

Dave’s Sushi has since posted messages on Facebook reiterating its willingness to cooperate with the ongoing investigation and expressing its condolences to the families and friends of the deceased. 

On April 25, they posted saying that the Broadwater County Sheriff had shared with KBZK News that a man who had eaten at the restaurant on April 17 had passed away on April 18 and repeated that the organization has been actively working with the Health Department to investigate the situation. 

“We are so sorry to learn of this man’s death, whether or not it is directly linked to the restaurant. All of our hearts go out to his family and friends,” they wrote.

On Monday, May 1, Dave’s Sushi posted again, writing that they extend their sincerest condolences to the friends and family of the woman who recently passed away due to suspected foodborne illness, as shared by the Gallatin County Sheriff. They again stated that they are waiting for answers regarding possible foodborne illness from the Health Department and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as the investigation continues. “No matter the circumstances, we are deeply saddened to learn of her death. Our hearts go out to her loved ones,” they wrote.

On May 3, Dave’s Sushi gave updated details on the situation through a statement posted on Facebook. They said the morel mushrooms may have been the food items suspected of causing the illnesses. The restaurant said that they stopped serving the mushrooms on April 17 after being alerted by guests of a potential issue. The mushrooms originated in China and were purchased by Dave’s from a California-based distributor, according to the statement.

The release concluded with Dave’s writing: “Moving forward, we want to bring attention to the potential risks of incorporating morel mushrooms in recipes. Our goal is to prevent a situation like this from happening again.” 

In the release, Dave’s Sushi also announced that they expect to re-open after May 15.