Chef Marco Sacco and the manager of the Piccolo Lago restaurant in Verbania, Raffaella Marchetti, risk eight months in prison for serving tainted mussels. This is what public prosecutor Fabrizio Argentieri demanded for the two defendants of negligent bodily harm and trafficking in food harmful to health after the food poisoning of around 75 people. The victims were attending a wedding banquet at the three-Michelin-starred chef's restaurant. It was in July 2021 that guests of the restaurant on Lake Mergozzo, in the province of Verbania-Cusio-Ossola, were able to taste the risotto with mussels and borage.
The poisonings
But in the days following that meal, several people experienced symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, dysentery and abdominal cramps. Several of them went to the emergency room. An investigation by the Nas carabinieri of Turin followed. The military discovered that the mussels, which were served raw in the risotto, were contaminated with norovirus.
The compensation
Over 50 civil parties appeared in the trials, which were celebrated with a shortened procedure. These included the spouses and several of their guests, who demanded compensation totaling 100,000 euros. Judge Beatrice Alesci's decision is expected on February 23rd.
The defence
Chef Sacco tried to explain in every statement that he had no responsibility in this matter. At the beginning of 2022, he explained to Repubblica: “We bought mussels that can be consumed raw, as indicated on the manufacturer's label and in the technical data sheet of the product.” They are mussels that I have been using since 2015. Since I have had this supplier, I will have served three thousand dishes like this.” And that is exactly the opinion of the lawyer Marco Ferrero, who supports the star chef and the restaurant manager: The product would have arrived already contaminated without the restaurateur’s knowledge. According to the lawyers who assisted the offended, the chef and his employees actually handled the product after it was thawed. And for this reason, in their opinion, they were responsible for the maxi-rush.
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