Beleaguered meat company Boar’s Head said Friday that it will shut down a Virginia plant that has been linked to a deadly outbreak of listeria and a nationwide recall of its products.
Records published online by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) show that inspectors had flagged its facility in Jarratt, Virginia, for numerous violations, including mold, pools of blood, insect contamination, and other issues. In one instance, in September 2022, USDA inspectors warned Boar’s Head of an “imminent threat” to its products posed by some of the outstanding problems at his facility, which remained operational until July 2024, when the recall was initiated.
In a statement, Boar’s Head again apologized over the listeria outbreak and called it a “dark moment in our company’s history,” saying it is making “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,” the statement continued to say. “We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers. But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process.”
The firm added that it will stop selling liverwurst after officials found that its processing of the meat was the main cause of the outbreak and will appoint a new food safety official.
“We have been conducting an exhaustive investigation into how our liverwurst product became adulterated,” Boar’s Head said. “We recognize you want and deserve answers, and that you wanted them quickly, but we needed to take the necessary time to conduct an in-depth review and analysis of all our processes and procedures.”
The company also posted a USDA “notice of suspension” that found there is a risk of workers at the Virginia plant spreading listeria through the processing facility.
Investigators had “observed employees who freely move between all lines without directly interacting with product such as those removing garbage, removing product debris from the floors, removing condensation from overhead structures, or performing maintenance,” said the letter, dated July 31.
To date, 57 people have been hospitalized and 9 people have died in 18 states in connection to the listeria outbreak, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Boar’s Head said that it has recalled 7 million pounds of its products.
USDA inspection documents show that the plant had green mold on the wall, condensation on the floor, and rusted equipment. They also noted that there were beetles in a hallway; items such as trash, screws, and other material in the production area; and blood in puddles on the floor, flies, and dirty equipment.
Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors also discovered “heavy discolored meat buildup” and “meat overspray on walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.” They also specifically saw flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling.
In December 2022, investigators discovered a “1-inch-long centipede-like insect” and gnats in a spice receiving room, violating agency protocols, the documents also found.
Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the documents show.
Listeria infections cause about 1,600 illnesses and about 260 deaths each year in the United States, according to the CDC. People older than 65, those who are pregnant, or those who have weakened immune systems are most vulnerable.
The CDC and USDA both advise consumers to check their refrigerators and kitchens for any recalled Boar’s Head products, which have a “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. They have sell-by dates that last until October 2024.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times