Boar's Head listeria outbreak over with 10 dead, dozens sickened by tainted deli meat

ByJONEL ALECCIA AP health writer AP logo
Friday, November 22, 2024
Listeria outbreak: 7M more pounds of Boar's Head deli meat recalled
Boar's Head expands recall to include 7M more pounds of deli meats tied to listeria outbreak

A deadly outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to a massive recall of popular Boar's Head deli meats is over, federal health officials said Thursday.

The video featured is from a previous report.

Ten people died and 61 were sickened in 19 states after eating listeria-contaminated Boar's Head products, including liverwurst. Illnesses were reported between late May and mid-September, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Listeria outbreaks are considered over 60 days after the last reported illness, according to the CDC. In addition, deli products linked to the outbreak are now past their shelf life.

After recalling more than 7 million pounds of Boar's Head deli meats distributed nationwide, company officials shut down a production plant in Jarratt, Virginia, and permanently stopped making liverwurst.

RELATED: 1st wrongful death lawsuit filed in Boar's Head listeria outbreak

Boar's Head faces continued scrutiny over dozens of reports of problems at the factory, including mold, insects, dripping water and contaminated walls, floors and equipment.

The U.S. Agriculture Department is conducting an internal investigation into whether federal investigators and Virginia state inspectors responded to the reports of serious problems. U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who requested the investigation, has received no update on the findings, his staff said.

The company also faces dozens of lawsuits filed by people who were sickened or their families.

Officials with USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service have refused to share documents regarding the agency's inspections and enforcement at the plant, plus inspection reports from eight other company factories across the country. The AP is appealing the public records request denial.

Copyright © 2024 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.