Boar’s Head, a renowned food company, has initiated a recall of its ready-to-eat liverwurst and certain deli meat products due to potential listeria contamination. The recall, which was announced on Friday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), involves approximately 207,528 pounds of products. The FSIS is currently conducting further tests to ascertain if these products are linked to a multistate listeria outbreak that has already claimed two lives and is associated with sliced deli meat.
Listeria bacteria can lead to listeriosis, which is the third most common cause of death from foodborne illnesses in the United States. Symptoms typically include fever, muscle aches, and fatigue, but can also cause headaches, stiff neck, confusion, or seizures. Pregnant individuals may experience pregnancy loss or premature birth due to the infection.
The liverwurst products under recall were manufactured between June 11 and July 17 and have a shelf life of 44 days. The packaging of these products is marked with “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA,” and bear “sell by” dates from July 25 to Aug. 30. Other recalled deli meat products, which include certain ham, bologna, beef salami, and roasted bacon products, were produced on June 27.
These products were distributed to retail deli locations nationwide, with the establishment number “EST. 12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on their labels. The FSIS is collaborating with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the multistate listeria outbreak.
As of last Thursday, the outbreak has affected 34 people across 13 states, with 33 hospitalizations and two fatalities reported in Illinois and New Jersey. No cases have been reported in Utah. Most of the affected individuals reported consuming turkey or liverwurst, and some reported eating ham. The meat originated from various grocery store delis. DNA fingerprinting tests revealed that the bacteria from the affected individuals were genetically similar, indicating a common source of infection.
The outbreak timeline spans several months, with the first case reported at the end of May and the most recent case reported on July 5. Listeria can easily spread in delis, transferring from equipment to surfaces to hands and food. While refrigeration does not kill the bacteria, heat can.
People who are pregnant, over 65, or have weakened immune systems are advised to avoid eating deli meat unless it has been heated until it steams or reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. If you’ve had sliced deli meat at home, it’s recommended to clean the refrigerator and any containers or surfaces that may have come into contact with it. Anyone who develops symptoms of listeriosis should seek medical care immediately. The CDC also encourages those who fall ill from listeria to cooperate with local public health officials to help identify the source of the outbreak.