Boar’s Head Will Close a Major Plant Following the Deadliest Listeria Outbreak in a Decade

Today Boar’s Head announced that it will be permanently closing its plant in Jarratt, Virginia, where a deadly Listeria outbreak originated earlier this year. 

The delicatessen goods manufacturer recalled 7 million pounds of deli meats in July, including items such as deli counter liverwurst, bologna, and smoked ham, plus pre-packaged sausages and bacon, following an onslaught of linked Listeria cases that have led to at least 57 hospitalizations and 9 deaths so far. The incident marks the most deadly Listeria outbreak in the United States since 2011, when contaminated cantaloupes caused 33 deaths.

All production at the Jarratt facility, identified as the source of the outbreak, has been halted since July 31st. However, Boar’s Head has now announced new measures to prevent any future issues with Listeria and sanitation, starting with shutting down the Virginia plant.

An update from the deli meat brand, provided on September 13th, states that an “investigation has identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst.” Boar’s Head will consequently be permanently discontinuing its liverwurst product.

The company is also making personnel changes to ensure food safety standards are met moving forward. Boar’s Head plans to appoint a new chief food safety and quality assurance officer (CFSO) and is actively recruiting for the role. Additionally, a “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” has been established, which will consist of “independent industry-leading food safety experts, some of whom have been assisting with the current investigation at the Jarratt facility.” The council will advise the chief food safety officer and help implement quality assurance programs.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has released reports from its Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) dating back to 2022, which show that investigators identified extensive health concerns at the plant, including the presence of insects, rust, mold, bad odors, and more. While non-compliance reports indicate that inspectors notified the sanitation supervisor, quality assurance analyst, production manager, and other authorities on-site, the New York Times reported earlier this week that the USDA did not take any enforcement action at the time.

In addition to the illness and deaths that had to happen before Boar’s Head took action to protect the public, the indefinite closure at Jarratt means roughly 500 employees will lose their jobs — the brand was previously one of the region’s biggest employers.

The United Food & Commercial Workers Local 400 union issued a statement today, giving assurance that “these workers have a union they can count on to always have their backs,” and confirming that they have “reached an agreement with the company that will provide our members with the opportunity to transfer to other Boar’s Head facilities or to accept a severance package well above and beyond what is required under the law.”

Even after Boar’s Head has decided to close this plant and discontinue liverwurst, it’s important to know that there could still be contaminated products on deli shelves or in home kitchens. Recalled items may have expiration dates up to October 17th, and will have either the “establishment number ‘EST. 12612’ or ‘P-12612’ inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels,” according to the FSIS.

To prevent contracting Listeria, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that you clean any surfaces that may have touched sliced deli products and double check your refrigerator for any recalled items. Individuals at higher risk, such as pregnant people or those aged 65 and older, should take extra precautions and not “eat any other deli meats you get sliced at deli counters, unless it is reheated to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot.”

Because symptoms of Listeria can sometimes take 10 weeks to manifest, be observant and contact your health provider immediately if you start to feel symptoms such as “a fever, muscle aches, tiredness, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, or seizures.”