U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors had warned that a Boar’s Head plant in Virginia had deficiencies that posed an “imminent threat” two years before an outbreak of the recent listeria bacteria and a related recall of numerous meat products, as officials with the federal agency confirmed Thursday that an investigation into the matter is still ongoing.
The inspection documents show the plant had green mold on the wall, condensation on the floor, and rusted equipment. They also noted that there were beetles in a hallway; items such as trash, screws, and other material in the production area; as well as blood in puddles on the floor, flies, and dirty equipment.
Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors also discovered “heavy discolored meat buildup” and “meat overspray on walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.” They also specifically saw flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling.
In December 2022, investigators discovered a “1-inch-long centipede-like insect” and gnats in a spice receiving room, violating agency protocols, the documents also found.
Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the USDA documents showed.
A spokesperson for the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a statement Thursday that the listeria outbreak connected to the Boar’s Head plant is still under investigation, responding to questions about the threat that was found at the plant two years ago by inspection officials.
“In addition to taking a holistic look at Boar’s Head establishments across the country, our investigation will include a top-to-bottom review to determine contributing factors that led to the outbreak at this particular facility, what needs to be improved, and if there are lessons learned that could be more broadly applied to ready-to-eat meat and poultry facilities,” the FSIS spokesperson said.
Production at the meat processing plant was temporarily paused in July in the midst of a recall, nearly two years after the FSIS officials discovered the alleged violations. In a statement earlier this year, Boar’s Head said it is recalling 7 million pounds of meat and other products due to the listeria outbreak, which officials say has led to fatalities and hospitalizations.
Listeria infections cause about 1,600 illnesses and about 260 deaths each year in the United States, according to the CDC. People older than 65, those who are pregnant, or those who have weakened immune systems are most vulnerable.
The Epoch Times has made multiple requests to Boar’s Head for comment. The additional details about the threat that was detected at the plant were first reported by The New York Times earlier this week.
“We are conducting an extensive investigation, working closely with the USDA and government regulatory agencies, as well as with the industry’s leading food safety experts, to determine how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Virginia, facility was adulterated and to prevent it from happening again,” the company said, confirming that production at the plant has been stopped.
