• Posted August 8, 2024

Another Listeria Death, Dozens of Hospitalizations in Outbreak Tied to Boar's Head Deli Meats

The death toll from listeria linked to tainted Boar's Head deli meats has risen to three, with nine more cases of the bacterial illness reported in the outbreak, an update issued Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows.

The total case count is now 43.

"All 43 people have been hospitalized and three deaths have now been reported, one from Illinois, one from New Jersey, and, as of this update, one from Virginia," the agency said.

On July 30, the recall of Boars Head deli meats broadened to include an additional 7 million pounds of products because they may also have been contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

The expanded recall is part of an ongoing investigation of ready-to-eat foods made at the company's Virginia plant.

Testing is turning up more contaminated product.

"The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets’ Division of Food Safety and Inspection collected unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst products from retail stores and the New York State Food Laboratory identified Listeria monocytogenes," the CDC noted in the latest update. 

Testing found it to be the same strain linked to the 43 cases of illness.

"Listeria is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems," the agency said in a news release. "[The] CDC always recommends people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli or heat them to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating."

The expanded recall now includes 71 products made between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. The newly recalled items include meat to be sliced at delis and some packaged meat and poultry products sold in stores. Liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and other products are affected.

In mid-July, Boar's Head first announced it was recalling all of its liverwurst products because they could be tainted with listeria.

"The company is also recalling additional deli meat products that were produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst and, therefore, may be adulterated with L. monocytogenes," the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a statement.

Overall, Boar's Head "is recalling approximately 207,528 pounds of products," FSIS noted at the time.

The listeria investigation was first announced July 22 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At the time, the source or sources of the outbreak were unknown.

As FSIS explained, testing first performed in Maryland spotted a sample of Boar's Head liverwurst product contaminated with listeria.

Besides the liverwurst products, some of the other Boar's Head meats that have been included in the recall include certain lots of Virginia Ham/Old Fashioned Ham, Italian Cappy Style Ham, various types of bologna and beef salami, among others.

"The ready-to-eat liverwurst products were produced between June 11, 2024, and July 17, 2024, and have a 44-day shelf life," FSIS noted. Products were shipped to retailers nationwide.

If consumers find they have any of the recalled products in their fridges, they should discard them or return them to the place of purchase.

"Consumers who have purchased these products are also urged to clean refrigerators thoroughly to prevent the risk of cross-contamination," FSIS added.

Deli owners who find they have the products "should clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli," the agency added.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third-leading cause of death from food-borne illness in the United States. Symptoms typically include a fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant women may experience pregnancy loss or premature birth.

More information

Find out more about listeriosis at the CDC.

SOURCE: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, news release, Aug. 8, 2024; U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), news release, July 30, 2024