Beloved Food Manufacturing Plant Brought Down After Fatalities

Stop and do not enter sign

Boar’s Head has shut down its Virginia plant indefinitely and permanently ceased liverwurst production following a fatal listeria outbreak.

At a Glance

  • Boar’s Head liverwurst has been permanently discontinued following a fatal listeria outbreak.
  • The outbreak caused 57 hospitalizations and nine deaths across 18 states.
  • The Virginia-based Jarratt facility will be indefinitely closed.
  • Boar’s Head plans to enhance food safety programs and introduce new safety measures.

Boar’s Head Ceases Liverwurst Production

Boar’s Head has decided to permanently discontinue its liverwurst production. The decision aligns with their internal investigation which identified a unique production process at the Jarratt, Virginia facility as the source of contamination. The company stated, “With this discovery, we have decided to permanently discontinue liverwurst.” This drastic step comes after a tragic listeria outbreak caused severe illness and claimed nine lives.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerted the public of the outbreak on July 19, and by July 26, they had issued a recall for 207,528 pounds of liverwurst. Just a few days later, on July 30, Boar’s Head expanded its recall to over seven million pounds of various meat products from the same facility. The contamination was linked to a specific production process at the Jarratt plant, used solely for liverwurst.

The Impact on the Jarratt Facility

The Jarratt facility will be indefinitely closed, affecting about 500 union workers and additional management employees. This decision followed reports of unsanitary conditions dating back to at least 2021. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued a suspension notice in July due to failure in maintaining sanitary conditions, which included issues with mold, mildew, insects, and water leaks.

“We have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024. It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process,” the company noted.

Boar’s Head has promised to enhance food safety programs and has appointed a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer. The company will establish the Boar’s Head Food Safety Council and create a company wide food safety and Quality Assurance program. As Boar’s Head elaborated, “This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry.”

Safety Measures and Legal Actions

New safety measures have been introduced to prevent such incidents in the future. Moreover, the company is now dealing with lawsuits filed by individuals affected by the outbreak. Health officials continue to advise that deli-sliced meats be heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to mitigate the risk of listeriosis. Also, proper cleaning and sanitization of refrigerators and surfaces that came into contact with contaminated products are crucial preventive measures.

“We regret and deeply apologize for the recent Listeria monocytogenes contamination in our liverwurst product. We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families,” Boar’s Head said in a statement. “Comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.”

This outbreak, identified after a liverwurst sample tested positive for listeria in Maryland, is noted as the largest since the 2011 cantaloupe-linked outbreak. Boar’s Head is working diligently with the USDA, state regulatory agencies, and food safety experts to address the issues and regain customer trust. Boar’s Head emphasizes its commitment to maintaining high standards and ensuring the safety of its products.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR