A tragic incident occurred when a woman lost her life after consuming what appeared to be a harmless sushi roll.
Sushi is a highly popular cuisine in the United States, with nearly five million Americans reportedly enjoying it on a monthly basis.
There are several health benefits associated with consuming this traditional Japanese dish.
Abbie Gellman, MS, a registered dietitian and chef, shared with USA Today: “Because sushi contains lean protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates, it can be part of a healthy diet.
“But as with all foods and weight loss, portion size is important.”
Josh Redd, NMD, the founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness, noted that the health benefits of sushi are primarily derived from its fish and seaweed components.
However, sushi also includes various other ingredients beyond fish and seaweed—such as mushrooms.
In 2023, Donna Ventura consumed a dish containing morel mushrooms at a local food establishment, Dave’s Sushi, and it is believed that these undercooked mushrooms led to her demise.
Donna began feeling ill within an hour of eating the sushi roll with the mushrooms in question and suffered cardiac arrest.
She was transported to Bozeman Deaconess Regional Medical Center in Montana, where the 64-year-old was left unable to speak, according to PEOPLE.
Due to this condition, Donna had to communicate her final words to her family through handwritten notes.
Tragically, she passed away 12 days after being hospitalized.
In a conversation with local outlet KBZK, Donna’s husband Jon remembered: “Some of the messages she wrote were, ‘I’m not sure I can go on much longer, how are we going to manage, I can’t stand the pain’.”
He continued: “The last couple she wrote were to me and our son where she wrote, ‘I love you,’ and to our son, she wrote, ‘I love you, Mr. C’.”
Jon expressed to the news outlet that it was ‘surreal to think that the simple act of eating lunch would end up putting [Donna] in the intensive care unit’.
In April 2024, Jon filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dave’s Sushi following Donna’s unexpected death.
“I told my wife on her deathbed that one of my jobs would be to hold those accountable for what they’ve done to her,” he explained regarding his choice to pursue legal action, according to The Independant.
Reports indicate that another person also died after consuming the undercooked mushrooms, and about 50 others fell ill.
In May 2023, Dave’s Sushi released a statement concerning its use of morel mushrooms.
Part of the statement, as shared on Twitter, read: “The Gallatin City-County Health Department released a statement dated May 3, 2023, noting that they and other local, state, and federal agencies are continuing to investigate the foodborne illness outbreak and acknowledging that the investigation may be unable to identify a specific pathogen.
“However, as noted in the release, ‘Preliminary investigative findings indicate that food containing morel mushrooms may be the exposure of concern.’
“No matter the circumstances or the findings, our hearts go out to the loved ones of the people who passed away and to all who have been impacted.”
As of September 2024, the specific toxin responsible for the illnesses remained unidentified, and investigations were ongoing, as reported by Food Poisoning News.