A tenth death has been reported in an outbreak of Listeria infections traced to Boar’s Head meat products. The outbreak has sickened 59 people in 19 states. All patients required hospitalization.
The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of its products in July. Tests showed that Boar’s Head deli meat was contaminated with the same strain of Listeria monocytogenes that has been making people sick.
The company has closed its manufacturing plant in Jarratt, VA, where the affected products were manufactured, and has permanently halted production of liverwurst nationwide.
Inspection reports dating back to at least 2022 showed multiple problems at the Virginia plant, but the USDA did not close it. USDA inspectors have identified serious problems in 2022 that could have led to strict measures such as a production pause. But the factory continued to operate and some conditions persisted. Inspectors warned that conditions at the Boar’s Head factory posed an “imminent threat” to public health, citing extensive rust, meat products exposed to wet ceilings, green mold and holes in the walls.
These are the inspections from 2022 – 2024:
Since announcing the plant’s closure, Terrence Boyce, who has nearly two decades of experience as a food plant supervisor and was hired in 2023 for a newly created position at the Jarratt, VA., plant, amid a food safety audit by federal regulators , has spoken out about the problems at the factory.
Boyce said he repeatedly told his superiors about food safety issues, but no action was taken.
“The government has identified some deficiencies or anomalies and I think I was brought into it as a preventative and corrective measure,” Boyce said.
But when the sanitation veteran began speaking out and recommending certain changes, he lost his job, he told numerous media outlets. One of the problems Boyce identified during his eight-month stay at the insect-infested factory was that the water used to clean the facility was not hot enough to break down grease from animal fat. He also questioned other sanitary practices.
“The process of cleaning the smokehouses was a big problem,” he told local media. They used a powder solution instead of spraying them down. They took shortcuts.”
The company issued a statement and apology on September 13.
“First and foremost, our investigation identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt factory and was only used for liverwurst. With this discovery, we have decided to permanently discontinue liverwurst,” the Boar’s Head statement said.
“In response to the inspection data and reports of non-compliance at the Jarratt plant, we will make no excuses. In the spirit of full transparency, we share with you the July 31, 2024 USDA Suspension Notice received by our Jarratt facility here.”
About Listeria infections
Food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes may not look or smell putrid, but it can still cause serious and sometimes life-threatening infections. Everyone who ate something remembered that Boar’s Head products and develop symptoms of a Listeria infection should seek medical attention and inform their doctor of the possible exposure to Listeria.
Also, anyone who has eaten any of the recalled products should monitor themselves for symptoms in the coming weeks, as it can take up to 70 days after exposure to Listeria for symptoms of listeriosis to develop.
Symptoms of a Listeria infection may include vomiting, nausea, persistent fever, muscle aches, severe headaches, and neck stiffness. Specific laboratory tests are needed to diagnose Listeria infections, which can mimic other diseases.
Pregnant women, the elderly, young children and people such as cancer patients with weakened immune systems are at particular risk of serious illness, life-threatening infections, other complications and death. Although infected pregnant women may experience only mild, flu-like symptoms, their infections can lead to preterm labor, infection of the newborn, or even stillbirth.
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