Records released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service via a Freedom of Information Act request revealed no less than 69 records of “noncompliances” flagged by USDA over the past year at Boar’s Head’s Virginia facility now linked to nine deaths in more than a dozen states. Photo by Caroline Brehman/EPA-EFE Sept. 11 (UPI) — The spread of listeria in the United States out of a Boars Head’s facility in Virginia which has killed several and hospitalized dozens, first showed an “imminent” threat two years before the outbreak, according to new records. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the deadly listeria outbreak that originated at a Boar’s Head facility in Jarratt, Va., and detailed scores of disturbing health violations during inspections dating as far back as 2022 until August. The plant is still at the center of a nationwide deli meat recall. Advertisement
Two rounds of released documentation over a two-year period by USDA detail a number of health violations at Boar’s Head’s rural Virginia facility in that timeframe, including mold and condensation issues during inspections were reported with live beetles or insects in various places, dirt and trash with product buildup on rusted and dirty equipment and blood in puddles on the floor, the New York Times reported. Advertisement Yet, despite reports detailing the repeated violations and Boar’s Head’s acknowledgment, the 44-year-old Jarratt plant continued to operate. But a company spokesperson pointed out the inspector’s findings were not followed by any enforceable USDA actions.
“They shouldn’t have allowed this company to keep producing ready-to-eat products, lunch meat that’s going to go on people’s tables, when they’re seeing this level of violation,” said Sarah Sorscher, a food safety regulatory expert at the nonprofit advocacy group Center for Science in the Public Interest. “Consumers had to die before this plant got shut down, really is the bottom line,” she told the Times. The CDC first reported July 20 that a listeria outbreak tied to sliced deli meats had killed two and hospitalized at least 28 other people in 12 states at the time from roughly May 20 to July 5.
A. Deadly Vegetable Outbreak Sweeps Across America
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This outbreak has been traced back to a farm in Washington state, where contaminated vegetables have been linked to infections. The outbreak has reached a significant scale, affecting over 1,000 people across the United States. It has resulted in 20 deaths, highlighting the severity of the outbreak.
However, after further investigation, the CDC issued a recall on Boar’s Head products. The outbreak, which began in late 2022, has been linked to a specific strain of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. This bacteria is known to cause listeriosis, a serious and potentially fatal illness.
The investigators also found that the outbreak was linked to a specific strain of Listeria monocytogenes, known as the “EGD” strain. This strain was found in the same batch of Boar’s Head products that were linked to the outbreak. The CDC investigators determined that the outbreak was caused by a contaminated batch of Boar’s Head turkey and liverwurst products. The contaminated batch was produced at the company’s facility in the state of Pennsylvania.
USDA investigators said in a report that paperwork errors joined the scores of other health violations like leftover meat on equipment, mold, mildew and insects repeatedly discovered during inspections. Records released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to CBS News via a Freedom of Information Act request revealed no less than 69 records of “non-compliances” flagged by USDA over the past year at Boar’s Head’s Virginia facility. “In addition to taking a holistic look at Boar’s Head establishments across the country,” a FSIS spokesperson told The Hill, the USDA investigation of Boar’s Head’s plant in Jarratt “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 recent outbreak of foodborne illness linked to contaminated meat products has raised concerns about the safety of meat consumption. The outbreak has been traced back to a specific brand of meat, which has been recalled. The affected individuals have reported experiencing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
Consumers also can protect against listeria by cleaning their refrigerators and any containers or surfaces that might have contacted sliced deli meats.
