The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that at least 9 people have lost their lives, and 57 others have been hospitalized due to an ongoing nationwide listeria outbreak.
This outbreak, now identified as the largest listeriosis outbreak in the U.S. in over a decade, has been linked to recalled Boar’s Head deli meats.
The CDC recently revealed that the outbreak has spread to 18 states, with 14 new cases emerging since the agency’s last update earlier this month. This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 57.
The last time the U.S. faced such a widespread listeriosis outbreak was in 2011 when cantaloupe was identified as the culprit.
The latest fatalities, six in total, were reported from various states: Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, New York, and South Carolina. These deaths have added a grim reality to what started as a routine food safety recall.
The outbreak’s source was traced back to a Boar’s Head liverwurst sample that tested positive for listeria monocytogenes. In response, Boar’s Head issued an extensive recall of all products produced at its Virginia-based facilities and temporarily halted operations.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) released inspection records that paint a disturbing picture of the conditions at the Virginia plant. The reports detail numerous regulatory violations, including the presence of black mold, mildew, cobwebs, and insects throughout the facility. These findings have raised widespread concern.
The recall, initially issued on July 26, was expanded to include approximately 7 million pounds of 71 different products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024. These products, distributed nationwide under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names, include ready-to-eat meats and poultry items intended for slicing at retail delis, as well as some pre-packaged products. The recalled items were also exported to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama.
Consumers are being urged to check their homes for any remaining Boar’s Head products that may be part of the recall. The CDC warns that these items can have a long shelf life, with some sell-by dates extending into October 2024. The agency advises looking for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on product labels to identify the affected items.
In a statement, Boar’s Head expressed its deep regret over the outbreak. “Food safety is our top priority, and we express our deepest sympathies for the affected families,” the company said. “As soon as we learned that our liverwurst was linked to the outbreak, we voluntarily expanded our recall as a precautionary measure to include all other products made at the same facility. We are conducting a full review of processes and procedures to ensure we consistently meet the highest standards of safety and quality.”
Listeria is a bacterium that can persist on surfaces such as meat slicers and even in refrigerated foods, making it particularly dangerous in food production environments. According to the CDC, listeria can cause severe illness when it spreads beyond the gut to other parts of the body after a person consumes contaminated food. Those at higher risk include pregnant people, individuals aged 65 or older, and anyone with a weakened immune system.
For those who are pregnant, listeria infection can have dire consequences, including pregnancy loss, premature birth, or a life-threatening infection in newborns. Although other people can also be infected with listeria, they rarely become seriously ill. Most people infected with listeria experience mild food poisoning symptoms, such as diarrhea or fever, and recover without antibiotic treatment.
The CDC estimates that 1,600 people in the U.S. contract listeria food poisoning each year, with approximately 260 deaths.
As the investigation continues, the public is urged to remain vigilant and to scan their fridge shelves.
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