A woman browses the meat aisle at a supermarket in Montebello, California, on May 15, 2024.
Frederic J. Brown | Frederic J. Brown AFP | Getty Images
A recall of Boar’s Head products has been expanded to include an additional 7 million pounds of deli and poultry products due to a multi-state outbreak of deadly listeria infections.
As of Tuesday, the outbreak has sickened 34 people in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. The deaths include one patient in Illinois and another in New Jersey.
Last week, Deli Meat Co. More than 207,000 pounds of deli meat recalledincluding liverwurst and ham products because they may contain Listeria monocytogenes.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced in a statement that the recall of Boar’s Head has now been expanded. Press release Tuesday.
The expansion includes 71 products produced under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brands between May 10 and July 29, including deli sliced ​​meats and some packaged meat and poultry products.
The “sell by” dates for these products are from July 29 to October 17 this year (View recalled product labels here) and distributed to retail locations nationwide, with some distribution to the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama.
boar head said in a statement The company initiated the recall after liverwurst samples collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for listeria, it said on its website.
According to a release from the USDA, the Maryland State Department of Health and the Baltimore City Health Department collected unopened liverwurst products from a retail store for further testing and determined that product samples “tested positive for the epidemic strain.”
Boar’s Head said the first voluntary recall is for its Strassburger brand of liverwurst, along with nine other products produced on the same production line at its Jarrett, Virginia, plant.
On Monday, the company said it learned from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that “our Strassburger brand liverwurst has been linked to a national outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in deli meats,” so the recall was expanded to include all products produced at the Jarratt plant.
“We have also decided to suspend ready-to-eat operations at this facility until further notice. As a company that prioritizes safety and quality, we believe this is the right thing to do,” the company said.
“No words can adequately express our sympathy and sincere and deep hurt for the families who have suffered their loss and for others who have been affected,” the statement added.
People who purchased recalled products should Throw them away or return them to the store,and Clean out their refrigerator Because bacteria can grow at low temperatures and spread to other foods.
FSIS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state public health partners are investigating.
Listeria infection is a foodborne bacterial illness most commonly caused by eating improperly processed deli meats and unpasteurized dairy products. mayo clinic. This is Food poisoning third leading cause of death In the U.S
Symptoms usually appear within two weeks of eating contaminated food and include fever, muscle aches, fatigue, neck stiffness and confusion. In severe cases, the bacteria can cause blood infections or meningitis. This infection is dangerous for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women.
The CDC estimates that about 1,600 people become infected with listeriosis each year and about 260 die. Most cases are not associated with outbreaks, but outbreaks typically occur several times a year.
