Boar's Head Provisions Co., Inc., is expanding its recall to include approximately 7 million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. The expanded recall follows whole genome sequencing results showing that a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for the outbreak strain of L. monocytogenes.
The expanded recall encompasses 71 products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under the Boar's Head and Old Country brand names. These products include meat intended for slicing at retail delis and some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations, with "sell by" dates ranging from 29-JUL-2024 through 17-OCT-24. The recalled products were distributed nationwide and exported to the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama. Affected products bear the establishment number "EST. 12612" or "P-12612" inside the USDA mark of inspection on the labels.
U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is collaborating with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state public health partners to investigate. As of July 30, 2024, 34 cases have been identified across 13 states, resulting in 33 hospitalizations and 2 deaths. Samples were collected from ill individuals between May 29, 2024, and July 12, 2024.
Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection primarily affecting pregnant individuals, adults aged 65 or older, and those with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis symptoms may include fever, muscle ache, headache, a stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions, and gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarrhea. In pregnant individuals, the infection can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of the newborn. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics, and high-risk individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms within 2 months of consuming contaminated food should seek medical care.
FSIS urges consumers to check their refrigerators for the recalled products and to discard or return them to the place of purchase. Retailers are advised not to sell the products with the referenced sell-by dates and to clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces in their delis. FSIS recommends that retail delis follow the agency's Best Practices Guidance for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens to prevent contamination of ready-to-eat foods prepared or sliced in retail delis, such as deli meats and salads.
