Boar’s Head Recalls Deli Meat Over Listeria Concerns

Health agencies investigating whether products are part of multistate outbreak

7/26/2024

Boar's Head is recalling all liverwurst products, as well as some other ready-to-eat deli meat products, because they may contain listeria.

After news broke of a deadly listeria outbreak, Jarratt, Va.-based Boar's Head Provisions Co. Inc., is now recalling all of its liverwurst products because they may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. The company is also recalling additional deli meat products that were produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst and, therefore, may also be adulterated with Listeria. The company is recalling approximately 207,528 pounds of products.

The ready-to-eat liverwurst products were produced between June 11 and July 17 and have a 44-day shelf life. The following liverwurst products being recalled are:

3.5-pound loaves in plastic casing, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst Made In Virginia. The products shipped to retailers bear sell-by dates ranging July 25, 2024, to Aug. 30, 2024, printed on the side of the packaging.

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The other ready-to-eat deli meat products were produced on June 27 and include the following:

9.5-pound and 4.5-pound full product, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Virginia Ham Old Fashioned Ham with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.
4-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Italian Cappy Style Ham with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.
6-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Extra Hot Italian Cappy Style Ham with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.
4-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Bologna with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.
2.5-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Beef Salami with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.
5.5-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Steakhouse Roasted Bacon Heat & Eat with sell-by date “Aug 15” on the product packaging.
3-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Garlic Bologna with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.
3-pound, or various-weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing Boar’s Head Beef Bologna with sell-by date “Aug 10” on the product packaging.

These products were distributed to retail deli locations nationwide. The products shipped to deli retailers bear establishment number “EST. 12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.

The problem was discovered when the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified that a sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for L. monocytogenes. The Maryland Department of Health, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, collected an unopened liverwurst product from a retail store for testing as part of an outbreak investigation of Listeria infections. Further testing is ongoing to determine whether the product sample is related to the outbreak.

FSIS is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners to investigate the multistate Listeria outbreak linked to meats sliced at delis. As of July 25, 34 sick people have been identified in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. The investigation is ongoing, and FSIS continues to work with the CDC and state partners.

FSIS recommends that retail delis clean and sanitize all food and nonfood surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli. Retailers may refer to FSIS’ guideline, “Best Practices Guidance for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens,” for information on steps to prevent certain ready-to-eat foods that are prepared or sliced in retail delis and consumed in the home, such as deli meats and deli salads, from becoming contaminated with L. monocytogenes.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and retailers are urged not to sell these products with the referenced sell-by dates. Instead, these products should be thrown away or returned to the store. Consumers who have purchased these products are also urged to clean their refrigerators thoroughly to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.

Meanwhile, Minneapolis-based OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers has filed the first lawsuit arising out of the multistate Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats. The defendants are Boar's Head and Schnucks Markets Inc. The lawsuit has been filed in Missouri's St. Louis County Circuit Court.

According to the lawsuit, after purchasing and consuming Boar's Head liverwurst in June, the plaintiff allegedly became ill and was hospitalized in early July. Testing confirmed that she was suffering from a Listeria infection. After being released from the hospital, she underwent treatment at a rehabilitation facility to continue her recovery.