A woman has died and 28 others suffered food poisoning after dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Valencia.
The 46-year-old woman, who has not been named, became ill after having a meal at the Riff restaurant in Valencia with her husband and son. She died in the early hours of Sunday. Her husband and son were also taken ill, but are said to be recovering, according to reports by The Guardian.
Health authorities have so far tracked down 75 people who ate at Riff between 13 and 16 February, and have confirmed a total of 29 cases of food poisoning.
With the exception of the person who died, all those who fell ill have shown light symptoms – mainly vomiting,” the regional health authority said in a statement on Thursday.
Food safety officers visited the restaurant on 18 February and failed to find any obvious explanation for the poisonings, although it has been reported that a poisonous mushroom could have been to blame, as reported by The Telegraph, but this has not been confirmed by authorities.
Samples of dishes served as a part of a tasting menu are being analysed by the National Toxicology Institute.
Bernd H Knöller, the head chef and owner of Riff, which has a Michelin star, is working with the regional health authorities, and has closed the restaurant while an investigation is completed.
He said: “I’ve taken the decision to close the restaurant until we know the precise causes and can reopen with the necessary guarantees for the safety of both staff and customers.”
