Update September 13: Boar’s Head has made the difficult decision to close the Jarratt, Virginia plant permanently the company said in an issued statement. The company is taking measures to make sure this does not happen again. 

The statement talks about the root cause of the contamination. “First and foremost, our investigation has identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst. With this discovery, we have decided to permanently discontinue liverwurst.”

Unfortunately, closing the plant will impact about 500 union workers and additional management employees are likely to be affected as well, according to what United Food and Commercial Workers Local 400 Union spokesman Jonathan Williams said to USA Today.

:This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry,” the statement added.

 

The Boar’s Head recall is still active. There have already been 57 people hospitalized and nine have died, across 18 states, all related to the listeria contamination.

Experts are predicting the listeria outbreak will only grow worse before getting better.

Listeria infection can take up to 10 weeks before symptoms appear. It’s possible people have eaten the contaminated meat without being aware. Those who have to be most concerned about listeria infections include pregnant women, newborns, elderly individuals, and people with weakened immune systems. Some infections can be mild.

Federal food inspectors uncovered numerous violations at Boar’s Head’s Virginia facility, including the presence of mold, mildew, and insects, as reported by CBS News’ Alex Tin.

In response, Boar’s Head released a statement on August 29, saying, “We are conducting a thorough investigation in collaboration with the USDA, government regulatory agencies, and top food safety experts to understand how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Virginia facility became adulterated, and to ensure this issue is prevented in the future.” The company also confirmed that production at the plant has been suspended. “Operations will not resume until we are certain the facility meets both USDA regulatory requirements and Boar’s Head’s highest standards for quality and safety,” the statement added.

Listeria primarily spreads through contaminated food and environmental factors. It is commonly found in unpasteurized dairy products, soft cheeses, deli meats, raw vegetables, and ready-to-eat foods when not handled or processed properly. Contaminated water can also serve as a source, with the bacteria spreading through airborne mist or droplets, particularly in food processing facilities. Cross-contamination occurs when Listeria is transferred from contaminated surfaces, equipment, or utensils to food due to inadequate cleaning and sanitization.

Additionally, workers’ hands, clothing, or shoes can carry the bacteria from one area to another if proper hygiene is not maintained. Improperly sanitized equipment poses another risk, as it can harbor Listeria and contaminate food during production.

Boar’s Head is now facing at least seven lawsuits in the wake of its August recall of millions of pounds of deli meat, following a deadly listeria outbreak. The lawsuits, which include claims of personal injuries, wrongful death, and deceptive marketing practices, are seeking damages ranging from $25,000 to over $5 million.

Per The New York Post, the family of an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, Gunter Morgenstein of New York, who allegedly died after consuming Boar’s Head deli meat contaminated with listeria has filed the first wrongful death lawsuit against the company. According to the lawsuit, the man, a husband, father, and Holocaust survivor, purchased Boar’s Head liverwurst and other products from a Harris Teeter supermarket on June 30. Over the following days, he ate the products in sandwiches.

The lawsuit states that he soon fell ill, experiencing weakness, diarrhea, fatigue, and a fever. His condition worsened, and he was hospitalized on July 8. A blood culture confirmed the presence of Listeria bacteria, which the suit claims was ingested from the Boar’s Head products. The complaint further alleges that the contaminated meat led to the development of listeriosis, encephalitis, meningitis, and sepsis, which ultimately contributed to his death.