Boar's Head recalls deli meats after listeria outbreak. Here's what to know in California

Boar’s Head Provisions Co., a major producer of deli meats, has recalled many of its products due to an outbreak of listeria that reportedly caused the deaths of nine people and required the hospitalization of 57 others.

Two deaths were reported in South Carolina and one each in Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Tennessee, and Virginia. No deaths or hospitalizations resulting from the outbreak have been reported in California.

The USDA released an 825-page list of Boar’s Head product retailers, with dozens of California locations, including multiple Sprouts Farmers Market, Safeway, and Albertsons stores.

See the complete list of California stores in this embedded document:

“Boar’s Head has issued a recall of some of its products due to a potential listeria monocytogenes outbreak,” reported the Sprouts website. “If you have purchased any of these deli meats at Sprouts deli service counters, please do not consume them. Sprouts has removed these products from its stores.”

What has been Boar’s Head’s response to the breakout?

In response to the listeria outbreak, Boar’s Head issued its own statement:

“We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on affected families. No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for those who have suffered losses or endured illness.

“We are conducting an extensive investigation, working closely with the USDA and government regulatory agencies, as well as with the industry’s leading food safety experts, to determine how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Virginia facility was adulterated and to prevent it from happening again.”

Human toll: His dad died from listeria tied to Boar’s Head meat. He needed to share his story.

Clues to what caused the outbreak may be in a recent list of noncompliances at Boar’s Head plant in Virginia, issued by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service.

The report, detailing inspections June 1, 2023 to July 29, 2024, lists 84 noncompliances, including an inspector’s account of an Aug. 8, 2023 visit after a metal box covering a hydraulic pump was removed.

“Heavy discolored meat build-up was found on the pump itself, the inside covering, and built on the floor,” the inspector wrote. “Around the motor was meat, wood pieces, and plastic. When the cover was taken off, an obvious odor filled the department.”

Boar's Head: Plant linked to listeria outbreak had bugs, mold and mildew, inspectors say

Another sample report described a Feb. 21, inspection of a raw receiving cooler.

“…there were ample amounts of blood in puddles on the floor, and on the rack that were heavily soiled to the point they appeared to leak at a steady pace,” the inspector wrote. “There was also a rancid smell in the cooler.”

In response the outbreak, Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is calling for an investigation into the USDA’s oversight failures and safety protocols. The senator blames the USDA for its “gross negligence” in failing to prevent the spread of listeria.

Meanwhile, Boar’s Head Provisions Co. is facing a growing list of lawsuits.

What are the effects of listeria poisoning?

Listeria bacteria can cause an infection called listeriosis, which has different symptoms depending on the person and the body part infected. Symptoms of intestinal illness, such as diarrhea and vomiting, usually start within 24 hours after eating food contaminated with listeria, and usually last one to three days.

Listeria becomes an invasive illness when it spreads beyond the intestines. Symptoms of invasive illness usually start within two weeks after eating food contaminated with listeria, according to the CDC.

Listeria can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in newborns, young children, those 65 and older, and people with weakened immune systems. Healthy individuals usually only suffer brief symptoms including high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.

However, listeria infection can also result in miscarriages and stillbirths.

The CDC advises those who have eaten food linked to an outbreak and have a fever, fatigue, or muscle aches, to contact a healthcare provider.

This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Boar's Head recalls meats in California linked to listeria outbreak