Student Sues SUNY College After Allegedly Swallowing Metal Rivet in Sandwich
A lawsuit claims a former SUNY Delhi student suffered severe and permanent injuries after consuming a piece of metal in a campus dining hall sandwich.
A Staten Island woman is suing her former college after she allegedly swallowed a "sharp piece of metal rivet" in a sandwich purchased from a campus eatery. Barbara Esposito-Mattera, 22, claims she ingested the metal piece in September 2025 after ordering a "Benny Brown" sandwich, which contains sliced steak, sauteed onions, mozzarella, and gravy, from Yella's at SUNY Delhi.
Esposito-Mattera, then a senior environmental studies major, alleges that the metal fragment caused her severe and permanent injuries. The lawsuit, filed in Staten Island Supreme Court on September 18, names the College Association at Delhi, the nonprofit responsible for the campus's dining services, and Sodexo, Yella's food licensing partner, as defendants.
She asserts that the food served was unfit for human consumption and is seeking unspecified damages. Neither Esposito-Mattera, her lawyer John Januas, the College Association at Delhi, nor Sodexo have returned requests for comment.
This incident follows a case in Florida where a woman was awarded $14 million after consuming ice cream containing metal nails, which reportedly left her infertile.