Roughly 7 Million Pounds of Boar’s Head Meat Products Recalled Over Listeria Fears

The recall comes amid an outbreak that has made 34 people sick, killing two.

The product label for Boar's Head Virginia Ham, one of 71 products recalled amid an investigation into a deadly listeria outbreak. FSIS/USDA via AP

Millions of pounds of meat items are being pulled off the market by food manufacturer Boar’s Head Provisions in an expansion of an earlier recall triggered by food safety issues.

On July 26, the Florida-based company recalled more than 207,000 pounds of liverwurst and deli meat products due to concerns that the items could be contaminated with listeria monocytogenes bacteria.

The firm expanded the recall on Tuesday, covering “approximately 7 million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products,” according to a July 30 press release by the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).

The expanded recall includes 71 products manufactured between May 10 and July 29, sold under the brand names of Boar’s Head and Old Country.

“Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected,” the FSIS said.

“Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract.”

The recalled products have “Sell By” dates between July 29 and Oct. 17. The products were distributed nationwide, with some exported to Mexico, Panama, the Dominican Republic, and the Cayman Islands.

The items come with the establishment number EST. 12612 or P-12612 located inside the USDA mark of inspection on product labels. Product details as well as labels have been published on the FSIS website.

The listeria risk was discovered after the Maryland Department of Health tested a liverwurst product sample from the company that came out positive for L. monocytogenes.

FSIS asked customers who have bought the recalled items not to consume them. The products should be disposed of or returned to the place of purchase.

If the product was stored in refrigerators, customers should clean the appliance thoroughly to prevent any risk of cross-contamination, it said.

US Listeria Outbreaks

Boar’s Head’s recall expansion is happening while a multistate listeria outbreak is under investigation by the FSIS and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) together with state public health agencies.

The outbreak has resulted in 34 sick people across 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. Samples from sick people have been collected.

The CDC posted a health alert on the outbreak, confirming that it involves meats sliced at delis.

“Products sold at the deli, especially those sliced or prepared at the deli, can be contaminated with Listeria. Listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food,” it said in a July 26 update.

“Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating to a high enough temperature before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats.”

The agency advised people not to eat deli meat slices until reheated to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or “steaming hot.”

The listeria outbreak is one of two that have happened this year. In 2023, there were three such incidents.

The first listeria outbreak of 2024 was reported in April and caused 26 illnesses and two deaths across 11 states. The CDC found the source of the outbreak to be queso fresco and cotija cheese made by Rizo-Lopez Foods. Investigation into that outbreak has been closed.

Over the past months, multiple other product recalls have been made due to listeria concerns.