SEATTLE — King County Public Health officials say several cases of gastrointestinal illnesses have been connected to the Sushi%AYCE/All You Can Eat restaurant in Seattle’s Chinatown International District.
Seven people reported getting sick after eating at the restaurant on May 16, a media release said. Those patrons reported experiencing symptoms including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, chills, body aches, fever, and headache.
Officials could not determine which food item caused the illness but say investigators found unsanitary conditions at Sushi%AYCE/All You Can Eat.
In a June 10th visit, health inspectors found the following food safety problems:
- Workers were not washing their hands or changing gloves correctly when switching between raw foods and ready-to-eat foods.
- One handwashing station had no hot water, and others were missing basic supplies like paper towels.
- There was no sanitizer ready for use in the food preparation or dishwashing areas.
- Utensils and surfaces used to prepare food were not being cleaned properly.
- Ready‑to‑eat fruits and vegetables were cut and served without being washed first.
- Ready‑to‑eat foods were stored without date labels, so staff couldn’t tell how long items had been kept or when they needed to be thrown out.
By June 22, a follow-up inspection found all the food safety issues had been corrected.
According to the King County Public Health website, the outbreak appears to be over, and none of the patrons needed to be hospitalized.