Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse Food Poisoning

Posted in Bacillus,Food Safety,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on September 10, 2023

After eating at Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse on Saturday, a dozen people were rushed to the Emergency Room with food poisoning.  At least 28 people were sickened in the Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse Food Poisoning Outbreak.

The Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse Food Poisoning Outbreak As We Know It

The Suffolk Department of Health Services is investigating the Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse Food Poisoning Outbreak.  “Mishandled and improperly stored cooked rice that was served” Saturday afternoon likely caused this food poisoning outbreak, according to Suffolk County spokesperson Marykate Guilfoyle. The Department of Health issued 15 violations to Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse.  8 of those violations were for foodborne illness risk factors, Guilfoyle said.

This is not the first time that Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse has been cited for violations.  The restaurant was cited for violations in both 2020 and 2021.

Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse is located at 2548 Nesconset Hwy, Stony Brook, NY 11790.

What Kumo Sushi Customers Are Saying

Newsday reports that Jacqueline Krauss was at Kumo Saturday afternoon for a family birthday party.  At least seven people got food poisoning.  Three members of the party had to be treated at the hospital after experiencing projective vomiting.

Dawn Catapano was at Kumo Saturday for a friend’s baby shower.  She began feeling sick shortly after leaving the party.  Over the next 12 hours she experienced uncontrollable vomiting and diarrhea. “I just felt terrible the rest of the night,” Catapano said.  Most of the baby shower guests came down with food poisoning.

Gabrielle Minervini Rondi and Bryan Rondi got food poisoning after eating fried rice at Kumo.  They became violently ill.  Ultimately, they had to seek treatment at the Emergency Room.

Suffolk police and 13 area fire departments responded to the restaurant at 4:07 p.m. Saturday after receiving “multiple” 911 calls, said Joe Agovino, a spokesperson for Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services. “Twelve people were taken to Stony Brook Hospital,” Guilfoyle said.

What Could These Illnesses Be?

The only bit of information we have heard from the latest reports is that the symptoms include “nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain” and that the food was eaten on September 9, 2023.

Was Bacillus in Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse’s Rice?

Bacillus cereus is a notoriously fast acting type of food poisoning.  Bacillus can cause vomiting in as little as 30 minutes after eating contaminated food.  Typically, people with Bacillus food poisoning may begin to experience vomiting 30 minutes to 6 hours after eating contaminated food.  This may be followed by diarrhea within 6 hours to 15 hours of eating food contaminated with Bacillus bacteria.

Symptoms are fairly mild, like vomiting, abdominal cramps, and minor diarrhea, and usually are subsided within 24 hours.

This bacterium is considered the could be the culprit as the health department representatives were aware of food safety practices during the event. Bacillus cereus, is found in foods that have been left in room temperature too long, and typically found in food that has been left to sit for more than two hours.

When Bacillus causes vomiting, rice is often the culprit.

Get Tested!

Many diarrheal illnesses cause diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal cramps.  This is why stool testing is crucial to find out what bacteria (or virus) may be the source. Testing is performed on a culture where growth medium specialized for foodborne pathogens is provided.  A specialized technician analyzes what grows and determines if the cell type is consistent with Bacillus or any other bacteria.  Once the bacteria is identified, additional testing can be performed to further characterize the bacteria.

How The Lange Law Firm Can Help

Our mission is to help families who have been harmed by severe food poisoning. When restaurants give their customers food poisoning, we use the law to hold them accountable.  The Lange Law Firm is the only law firm in the nation solely focused on representing families in food poisoning lawsuits and contaminated water lawsuits.

If you got food poisoning from Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse and are interested in making a legal claim for compensation, we can help. Our food safety lawyer can help you pursue compensation for food poisoning.  Call us for a free no obligation legal consultation at (833) 330-3663 or send us an e-mail here.