Public Health Seattle King County (PHSKC) investigated an outbreak of gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhea associated with Chinese Taste Restaurant located in Issaquah, Washington. Five people from a meal part on January 29, 2022 reported becoming ill after consuming food delivered from the restaurant. No one was hospitalized and no one was ill.

Symptoms and timing of illness onset suggested a bacterial toxin such as Bacillus cereus or Clostridium perfringens as the cause of this outbreak. The exact food or drink that caused the illnesses was not identified.

Environmental Health investigators visited the restaurant on February 4, 2022. Investigators identified potential risk factors for bacterial toxin growth and other foodborne germs, including inadequate handwashing facilities, inadequate use of gloves or utensils to prevent bare hand contact with ready to eat foods, lack of temperature controls, inadequate cooling procedures, use of an unapproved food preparation area, and risk of cross contamination between foods.

Based on unsafe food handling practices identified during the investigation, Public Health suspended the restaurant's operating permit on February 4, 2022. Environmental Health investigators provided restaurant management with required conditions for reinstating the permit and required food safety training for restaurant staff. Environmental Health investigators will reinspect the restaurant within 2 weeks to ensure adoption of safe food handling practices before allowing the restaurant to reopen.