An Italian Michelin-starred chef has been handed a suspended prison sentence and fined after 53 people fell ill after eating clams contaminated with norovirus.
The charges related to a wedding banquet at Marco Sacco’s Piccolo Lago restaurant, where he has two Michelin stars.
Guests at the restaurant overlooking Lake Mergozzo in northern Italy, were served a risotto during celebrations to mark the nuptials in 2021, La Repubblica reports.
However, the food later turned out to be contaminated with norovirus, the highly contagious virus also known as the winter vomiting bug.
Sacco said he had served more 3,000 similar dishes and no problems had ever arisen, and insisted procedures had been followed closely.
A court sentenced him to two months and 20 days in prison for negligent injury and trading in harmful food substances. The sentence was conditionally suspended.
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Dining room manager Raffaella Marchetti received the same sentence, La Repubblica said.
Additionally, Judge Beatrice Alesci, of the Verbania court, set provisional amounts to be paid of 20,000 euros (£17,000), including 8,000 (£6,000) euros for the couple who organised the wedding banquet and 250 euros (£213) for each of the 53 people who fell ill.
