The nationwide listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats has caused five additional death — bringing the total to eight — and resulted in 14 new illnesses, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.
Records released by the US Department of Agriculture to CBS News through a Freedom of Information Act request revealed dozens of violations linked to the company’s plant in Jarrett, Va. — including reports of mold, mildew and insects throughout the facility.
Several of the USDA records showed sightings of insects in and around deli meats at the plant, including one instance that prompted the agency to tag more than 980 pounds of ham in a smokehouse hallway to be “retained” for an investigation, according to CBS News.
In June, another record flagged concerns over flies going in and out of “vats of pickle” left in a room.
Other parts of the facility were also found to have bugs, including what looked to be “ants traveling down the wall,” as well as a beetle and a cockroach, the outlet reported.
The plant also had a number of issues with leaking or pooling water, including a puddle found to have “a green algal growth” inside and condensation that was found to be “dripping over product being held,” according to the report.
In all, there were 69 instances of “noncompliances” flagged by the agency over the past year at the plant, the records show.
On Wednesday, Boar’s Head told The Post it has paused production at the plant “and will not resume until we are confident that it meets the standards our customers expect and deserve.”
“We are conducting an extensive investigation in partnership with leading food safety experts to determine how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Va., facility was adulterated and to prevent it from happening again,” a company spokesperson said.
The outbreak is now the largest listeriosis incident since the 2011 cantaloupe-associated outbreak.
Boar’s Head — a 119-year-old family-run business headquartered in Sarasota, Fla . — recalled seven million pounds of meat last month, up from 200,000 pounds it pulled off shelves in June after the outbreak was first reported.
Aside from the eight who have died, a total of 57 have been sickened in at least 13 states by the tainted meats — with all requiring hospitalization.
“No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness,” the rep said.
The five recent deaths occurred in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and two in South Carolina, according to the CDC.
“Consumers who were unaware of the recall may have eaten recalled products. People may also have a prolonged course of illness,” a spokesperson for South Carolina’s health department said in a statement following the new deaths.
The Maryland Department of Health had traced the outbreak to the Jarratt plant after it tested an unopened package of liverwurst.
The CDC reports that epidemiologic, laboratory and traceback data indicate that meats sliced at delis, including Boar’s Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with listeria and causing the illnesses.
Listeria is a resilient bacterium that can survive on surfaces, such as meat slicers, and in foods, even at refrigerated temperatures.
While refrigeration doesn’t kill listeria, reheating foods to a sufficiently high temperature before consumption can eliminate the bacteria.
Symptoms of listeriosis, which include fever, chills, and headache, can take up to ten weeks to manifest in some individuals.
The health agency strongly advises against consuming recalled deli meats and urges consumers to check for any remaining recalled products, as they can have a long shelf life.
Some of the products have sell by dates extending into October 2024, it added.
