Boar’s Head to recall additional 7 million pounds of deli meat after deadly listeria outbreak
Boar’s Head expanded its recall of deli meats to include 7 million additional pounds ready-to-eat products as the feds continue to investigate a deadly listeria outbreak, the US Agriculture Department said late Tuesday.
A recall of 100 tons of Boar’s Head products was issued last week by the agency’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) after at least two people died and 34 others were hospitalized in 13 states from potentially tainted meat.
The latest action covers 71 products made between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names — including Virginia ham, beef salami and bologna — made at the firm’s plant in Jarratt, Va.
The problem was discovered when a liverwurst sample collected by health officials in Maryland tested positive for listeria. Further testing showed that the type of bacteria was the same strain causing illnesses in people, which were reported between late May and July.
There have been no additional reported incidents of listeria-related food poisoning.
“Out of an abundance of caution, we decided to immediately and voluntarily expand our recall to include all items produced at the Jarratt facility,” Boar’s Head said on its website.
It has also halted production of ready-to-eat foods at the plant.
The meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, Agriculture Department officials said.
On July 29, the USDA informed Boar’s Head that its liverwurst has been “linked to the national deli meat listeria outbreak,” the company wrote on its website.
“Based on this new information, we took steps to ensure we are doing everything possible to protect public health.”
Stop & Shop closed the deli counters at all of its supermarkets following the recall notice, as The Post reported.
Consumers who have the recalled products in their homes should not eat them and should discard them or return them to stores for a refund, company officials said.
Health officials said refrigerators should be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized to prevent contamination of other foods.
An estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die, according to the CDC.
Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. The infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65, those with weakened immune systems and during pregnacy.
