Boar’s Head is closing one of its factories following a listeria outbreak.
On Sept. 13, the deli meat company announced it was permanently closing a location in Jarratt, Va., which was linked to a multi-state recall of more than 7 million pounds of meat and poultry products.
As of August 28, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified at least 57 people in 18 different states who have become ill in an outbreak of listeria linked to some deli-sliced boar’s head meat . Nine deaths were recorded.
In a statement announcing the closure of the Virginia plant, the brand said it “regrets and deeply apologizes for the recent contamination of Listeria monocytogenes in our liver liver product.”
“We understand the seriousness of this situation and the profound impact it has had on the affected families,” the statement continued.
Boar’s Head expands recall to 71 meat products after deadly listeria
Through the investigation, the company said the “root cause” of the contamination was “a manufacturing process that existed only at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwort.”
“Given the severity of the outbreak and the fact that it originated in Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has been out of business since the end of July 2024,” the statement said.
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This news comes after USDA issued the facility a Notice of Suspension on July 31 following noncompliance with regulations and inspection records.
Boar’s Head said it values its employees and how this affects their livelihood, but “under the circumstances, we feel closing the facility is the most prudent course of action.” The The New York Times reports that the company is offering severance pay and relocation opportunities to employees, according to a union representative. The company has other facilities in New York, Michigan, Arkansas and Indiana, NYT recorded.
The distributor of meat delicacies also announced that it will permanently discontinue liver from its product range.
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“This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to improve the food safety program not only for our company, but for the entire industry,” Boar’s Head’s statement continued.
Among its newly established food safety programs, Boar’s Head is implementing a food safety council and appointing a new chief food safety and quality assurance officer.
The expanded recall affected over 71 meats produced between May 10 and July 29, including Virginia ham, olive loaf, 12 oz. skinless beef franks, Canadian-style bacon, roast pork and 8 oz. liver pate . Several deli meats under the company’s Old Country brand are also affected, such as Old Country Habanero Ham, Old Country Black Forest Ham 1/2 and Old Country Tavern Ham.
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Source: HIS Education