A recall of Boar’s Head meat linked with a listeria outbreak has been expanded to include 7 million additional pounds of products.
Last week, the company recalled more than 200,000 pounds of ready-to-eat liverwurst products and some other deli meats amid an outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes illnesses linked with sliced meat from grocery store deli counters.
Boar’s Head said Tuesday that the US Department of Agriculture had informed the company on Monday evening that its Strassburger brand liverwurst was linked with the outbreak. It is recalling all items produced at its facility in Jarratt, Virginia, including many ham, bologna, bacon, frankfurter and sausage products.
“We have also decided to pause ready-to-eat operations at this facility until further notice,” Boar’s Head said in a statement. “As a company that prioritizes safety and quality, we believe it is the right thing to do.”
The move adds about 7 million pounds of products to the recall, the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said Tuesday, including meat from retail deli counters as well as packaged products with sell-by dates from July 29 through October 17. The products were shipped to stores across the US and in the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama.
As of Tuesday, 34 illnesses have been reported in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths, the agency says.
Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms usually include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant people may have pregnancy loss or premature birth.
Listeria can spread easily at delis, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, transferring from equipment to surfaces to hands and food. Refrigeration does not kill the bacteria, but heat can.
People who are pregnant, those who are 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems are advised to avoid eating deli meat unless it’s been heated until it steams or reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.
Anyone who develops symptoms of listeriosis should get medical care right away.
The CDC is also encouraging people who get sick with listeria to work with local public health officials, who may get in touch to find out what they ate in the past month and may ask for receipts or leftover food to help pinpoint the root of the outbreak.
Consumers who have purchased recalled products should throw them out or return them to the place of purchase, as well as thoroughly cleaning refrigerators and other surfaces that may have come into contact with the meat.
Those with questions about the recall can call Boar’s Head customer service at 1-800-352-6277, and those with food safety questions may contact the USDA at 888-674-6854.
