A woman looks at the meat section at a supermarket in Montebello, California on May 15, 2024.
Frederick J. Brown | AFP | Getty Images
A deadly multi-state outbreak of Listeria has prompted a Boar’s Head product recall that extends to a staggering 7 million pounds of prepared meals and poultry products.
As of Tuesday, the outbreak had infected 34 people in 13 states, hospitalized 33 and killed two people, including one in Illinois and one in New Jersey.
Last week, the deli meat company recalled more than 207,000 pounds of deli meats, including liverwurst and ham products, because they may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
Boar’s Head has expanded the scope of the recall, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced in a press release Tuesday.
The expansion includes 71 products produced under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brands between May 10 and July 29, including meats for slicing in the deli and some packaged meat and poultry products.
The products had sell-by dates between July 29th and October 17th of this year (see the recalled product labels here) and were distributed to retailers nationwide, with some also being distributed to the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama.
In a statement on its website, Boar’s Head said it initiated the recall after samples of its liverwurst taken by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
The Maryland State Department of Health and the Baltimore City Health Department recalled unopened liverwurst products from retailers and after further testing, product samples “tested positive for the outbreak-causing strain,” the USDA statement said.
Boar’s Head said the initial voluntary recall covers Strasburger brand liverwurst and nine other products made on the same production line at its Jarratt, Virginia, plant.
The company announced Monday that it had learned from the USDA that “our Strassburger brand liver sausage has been linked to a nationwide outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats,” and as a result, the recall has been expanded to all products produced at the Jarratt plant.
“We have also decided to suspend production of prepared foods at this facility until further notice. As a company that prioritizes safety and quality, we believe this is the right thing to do,” the company said.
“Words cannot express our sympathies and deepest sorrow for the families of the victims and those suffering from the illness,” the statement added.
Anyone who bought any of the recalled products should throw them out or return them to the store and also clean their refrigerators, as bacteria can grow in cold temperatures and spread to other foods.
An investigation by FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state public health partners is ongoing.
Listeria is a food-borne bacterial infection most commonly caused by eating improperly processed deli meats or unpasteurized dairy products, and is the third leading cause of foodborne illness deaths in the United States, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Symptoms usually appear within two weeks of consuming contaminated food and include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, stiff neck, and confusion. In severe cases, the bacteria can cause blood infections and meningitis. The infection is dangerous for the elderly, those with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women.
The CDC estimates that about 1,600 people become ill with listeriosis each year, and about 260 die from it. Most cases are not associated with outbreaks, but several outbreaks typically occur each year.
