Two lawsuits have been filed against Kumo Sushi of Stony Brook related to the incident on Saturday at the restaurant that left dozens of people ill.
The latest lawsuit was filed by a woman who fell victim to food poisoning after attending a birthday celebration at Kumo Sushi of Stony Brook last Saturday. The legal representation for the plaintiff consists of Food Poisoning Lawyer Jory Lange and Scott Harford, a Product Liability Lawyer from Manhattan.
According to a statement released by the law firm, 28 people got food poisoning on Saturday and 12 individuals were rushed to the Emergency Room at Stony Brook University Hospital. The Suffolk County Department of Health had conducted an investigation and cited Kumo Sushi of Stony Brook for 15 violations, including 8 violations directly related to food-borne illness risk factors.
Suffolk County Fire, Rescue and Emergency Services said on Saturday night that 13 patients were transported to three area hospitals by EMS from the restaurant located at 2548 Nesconset Highway in Stony Brook.
"The scary thing about this outbreak is, as a consumer, there's nothing you can do to tell whether the food that you are buying is safe,” said Lange. “You can't taste, smell, or see food poisoning. Food that is contaminated may look, smell, and taste just like any other food. This is why it's critical that restaurants who make and sell our food ensure the food is safe before they sell it."
Jory Lange and Scott Harford are currently representing multiple families who have suffered from food poisoning as a result of dining at Kumo Sushi of Stony Brook.
The restaurant was temporarily shut down on Saturday as a precautionary measure.
Suffolk County Health Commissioner Gregson Pigott commented on the incident, saying, "We believe the culprit was the rice. This particular case, that rice was cooked and not stored at a proper temperature, and what happens there is you have spores that live in the rice. After the rice is cooked, if you don't have it at a proper temperature, these spores can reactivate and become bacteria."
John P. Ruggiero, the attorney for the owners of Kumo, said that there were no issues found with regard to refrigeration at the restaurant and no one was arrested. Online chatter ran rampant after the incident and Ruggiero sought to quell amy rumors.
“While the owners of this long standing local business take these matters very seriously, it is unfortunate that much of the online/social media speculation is simply untrue,” Ruggiero said in an email. “The fact of the matter is that the health department conducted a thorough review and inspection of the restaurant within an hour of the incident.”
He said the inspectors were at the location for four and a half hours and “inspected every aspect of the kitchen and its food-handling.
“They found all refrigeration in good working condition,” he said.
Ruggiero said that the cooked hibachi rice was not being rapidly-cooled in accordance with Suffolk County Department of Health guidelines. They reviewed those guidelines with the staff and the new procedure was immediately implemented.
In a statement released on social media on Monday, Kumo expressed their appreciation for all those who responded to the crisis.
“We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the first responders and health inspectors for their unwavering professionalism and courtesy during a recent incident at Kumo Restaurant this past Saturday,” they said.
The statement went on to comment that the family that runs Kumo has proudly served the community for over 50 years. They also expressed gratitude for those who supported them.
“To our loyal customers and friends who have reached out with words of support, we are profoundly thankful for your understanding and unwavering support,” they said. “Please trust that we take this incident seriously, and we are already working diligently to regain and maintain your confidence in us… We are committed to learning from this incident, enhancing our practices, and ensuring that every visit to Kumo is not just a meal but a memorable and safe experience.”