Boar’s Head, the renowned cold cut provisioner, has recalled more than 200,000 pounds of meat due to concerns over potential Listeria contamination.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the recall Friday, noting that the recall focuses on liverwurst and other cold cuts produced on the same line and day as the contaminated meat. Approximately 207,528 pounds of products are affected by this recall.
The ready-to-eat liverwurst products, which were produced between June 11 and July 17 of this year, have a 44-day shelf life and were distributed to retail deli locations nationwide. These products can be identified by the establishment number “EST. 12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.
Other Boar’s Head deli meats recalled include Virginia ham old fashioned ham; Italian cappy style ham; extra hot Italian cappy style ham; bologna; beef salami; steakhouse roasted bacon heat & eat; garlic bologna; and beef bologna.
“We are cooperating fully with government authorities and conducting our own investigation into the incident,” Boar’s Head said in a statement to the Washington Post.
The contamination issue was discovered when the Maryland Department of Health, collaborating with the Baltimore City Health Department, tested a sample collected from a retail store as part of an outbreak investigation of L. monocytogenes infections. The sample tested positive for L. monocytogenes, prompting the recall. Further testing is ongoing to determine if the product sample is linked to the outbreak.
The recall prompted delis and supermarkets that sell Boar’s Head products to throw out suspect products and do deep cleans of their deli counters. Stop & Shop supermarkets shut down their deli departments Friday to thoroughly clean all equipment and storage areas, in addition to throwing out all affected products. The supermarket chain reopened and restocked its deli counters Saturday.
What is listeria?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a serious infection particularly dangerous for pregnant women, individuals aged 65 or older, and those with weakened immune systems. Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
In pregnant women, listeriosis can result in miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn.
Older adults and those with compromised immune systems may experience severe and sometimes fatal infections. The infection is treatable with antibiotics, and those in high-risk categories who develop flu-like symptoms within two months of consuming contaminated food should seek medical attention immediately and inform their healthcare provider about the exposure.
As of July 25, 34 individuals have been reported sick across 13 states, resulting in 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. The illnesses were recorded from May 29, 2024, to July 12, 2024.
Consumers who have purchased the recalled products are urged not to consume them and to dispose of them or return them to the place of purchase. Retailers are also advised not to sell these products with the referenced sell-by dates. Thorough cleaning of refrigerators is recommended to prevent cross-contamination.
For more information, consumers can contact Boar’s Head customer service at 800-352-6277.
