Dave’s Sushi Reopens with Ongoing Health Department Inspections after Toxic Mushroom Outbreak

In July 2023, the Gallatin City-County Health Department (GCCHHD) released the final investigation into the toxins that led to the closure of Dave’s Sushi in Bozeman. The investigation revealed that morel mushrooms served at the restaurant were not cooked properly, leading to an outbreak that affected 50 people and resulted in two deaths. Despite this, no other restaurant that received morels from the same supplier reported any complications from their customers.

Since its reopening in May 2023, Dave’s Sushi has been closely monitored by GCCHD with visits every few days to inspect and correct practices to ensure food safety. Although GCCHD has not been forthcoming with details regarding the outbreak at Dave’s, they did highlight five major risk factors that contribute to food-borne illnesses, including unsafe sources of food, improper storage temperatures, under-cooked or raw food items, contaminated environments and equipment, and poor personal hygiene of handlers.

During a recent inspection on December 20th, 2023 two violations were reported but were promptly corrected on-site. GCCHD notes that most violations identified during inspections do not lead to a restaurant closure and are often corrected on-site or shortly after. This ongoing monitoring and correction process aims to prevent recurrence of similar incidents and ensure compliance with food safety regulations at Dave’s Sushi.