A recall of Boar’s Head products has been expanded to include an additional 7 million pounds of deli and poultry items in a multistate outbreak of listeria infections. As of Tuesday, 34 people across 13 states have fallen ill in the outbreak, with 33 hospitalizations and two deaths reported. The fatalities occurred in Illinois and New Jersey. Last week, the company had recalled over 207,000 pounds of deli meat, including liverwurst and ham products, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. This led to an expanded recall that includes 71 products produced between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country Brand names with “sell by” dates ranging from July 29 to Oct. 17.
The recalled products were distributed to retail locations nationwide, as well as to various international locations, such as the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama. The recall was initiated after a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for listeria. Further testing on an unopened liverwurst product collected from a retail store confirmed the presence of the outbreak strain of listeria. Boar’s Head stated that the first recall was for its Strassburger Brand Liverwurst and nine other products produced on the same production line at its Jarratt, Virginia, facility. Following confirmation that the liverwurst was linked to the national deli meat listeria outbreak, the company expanded the recall to include all items produced at the Jarratt facility and paused ready-to-eat operations there until further notice.
An investigation is underway by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health partners. Listeria infection is a foodborne bacterial illness often caused by improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurized milk products. Symptoms typically appear within two weeks of consuming contaminated food and can include fever, muscle aches, tiredness, stiff neck, and confusion. In severe cases, the infection may lead to a blood infection or meningitis. Those most at risk include older individuals, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women. The CDC estimates that about 1,600 people in the U.S. contract listeriosis each year, resulting in around 260 deaths.
Customers who have purchased the recalled products are advised to either dispose of them or return them to the store. Additionally, it is recommended to clean out refrigerators where the products were stored, as listeria can grow in cold temperatures and spread to other foods. Boar’s Head expressed sympathy for those affected by the outbreak, acknowledging the losses and illnesses suffered by families. The company emphasized its commitment to safety and quality and stated that the decision to expand the recall and halt operations at the Jarratt facility was made in consideration of these priorities. As investigations continue, the focus remains on identifying and containing the source of the contamination to prevent further illnesses and deaths associated with listeria infection.
