Boar’s Head Recalls 207,000 Pounds of Deli Meats as Listeria Outbreak Spreads to 13 States

The bacteria Listeria monocytogenes as seen in a file photo. (Courtesy of U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

Boar’s Head has recalled more than 207,000 pounds of liverwurst and other deli meat products due to potential contamination with listeria bacteria, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said on Friday.

The company issued the recall after a sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for listeria, according to an FSIS statement.

It stated that the sample was “an unopened liverwurst product” collected from a retail store as part of an investigation into a listeria outbreak that has sickened 34 people in 13 states.

All but one of those infected were hospitalized, and two people have died—one from Illinois and another from New Jersey—according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The FSIS stated that further testing is ongoing to determine whether the unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst sample was related to the multi-state listeria outbreak.

The recall includes Boar’s Head ready-to-eat liverwurst produced from June 11 to July 17, along with other deli meat products made on the same line and during the same timeframe, such as ham, bologna, and salami, the recall states.

Consumers who have purchased these products are urged to throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. They are also advised to clean their refrigerators to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.

A Boar’s Head spokesperson said the company will fully cooperate with government authorities while also conducting its own investigation into the matter.

“As soon as a Listeria adulteration was confirmed in our Strassburger Brand Liverwurst, we immediately and voluntarily recalled the product,” the spokesperson said in a statement to The Epoch Times.

The spokesperson stated that Boar’s Head remains committed to upholding “the highest safety and quality standards.”

Listeria Infection Cases

The cases of illnesses and hospitalizations listed by the CDC are all in the central and east coast states: Missouri, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, and Massachusetts.

Of the 24 sick people interviewed by health officials, 23 reported consuming meats sliced at deli counters. Thirteen people reported eating deli-sliced liverwurst, with seven specifically citing the Boar’s Head brand, according to the CDC.

The CDC stated that listeria can be killed by reheating the meat to “a high enough temperature,” but refrigeration does not eliminate the bacteria. Listeria can easily spread on kitchen surfaces and equipment.

Symptoms of listeria poisoning include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. FSIS stated that an invasive listeria infection can spread beyond the gastrointestinal tract.

“In people who are pregnant, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn,” the agency stated.

“In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems,” it added.

Listeria poisoning can be treated with antibiotics. The FSIS advised those in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months of eating contaminated food to seek medical care.

Approximately 1,600 people get Listeria annually. Of that number, about 260 cases of infection are fatal, the CDC reported.

Matt McGregor contributed to this report.