A woman has died as a result of the food poisoning outbreak at Michelin-starred Restaurante Riff in Valencia, Spain, according to BBC News. The 46-year-old woman got sick on Saturday, February 16th and reportedly died in her home early on Sunday, February 17th. Her husband and 12-year-old son also suffered from food poisoning, though they are currently recovering. She was one of 29 people who have reportedly gotten sick from eating at Riff between February 13th and 16th.
Officials aren’t yet sure what caused the outbreak among diners, but they have collected samples from a tasting menu and sent them to the National Toxicology Institute to find out. Some regional news outlets, including 20 Minutos, have reported that the outbreak was possibly a result of morel mushrooms, but this has not been confirmed by officials. In fact, a Regional Ministry of Health spokesperson told BBC News that despite the fact that officials had visited the restaurant and collected samples on Monday, February 18th, no cause has been determined, and they’re waiting for the results of the inspection.
The restaurant, which is owned by head Chef Bernd H. Knöller, will be closed until the cause of the outbreak has been determined.
Ante las informaciones que están saliendo en los medios de comunicación, quiero difundir este comunicado: https://t.co/o0sFYNnO97
— Bernd H. Knöller (@RestauranteRiFF) February 19, 2019
He released a statement on Twitter on Tuesday, February 19, expressing his deepest regrets for the incident. He is working closely with the Ministry of Health, and he says he will not re-open the restaurant until he can guarantee safety for his employees and customers.
