Boar’s Head announced on Friday that it has indefinitely closed a Virginia deli meat plant and discontinued the liverwurst product associated with a deadly listeria outbreak that affected multiple states. The company stated that the plant in Jarratt, Virginia, where the contaminated liverwurst was produced, has been shut down indefinitely due to a specific production process that led to the contamination.
In a statement released on Friday, Boar’s Head expressed regret and offered a deep apology for the recent contamination of its liverwurst product with Listeria monocytogenes. The company acknowledged the severity of the situation and its impact on affected families. Despite the closure of the plant since late July 2024, Boar’s Head emphasized the difficult decision to impact the jobs of hundreds of employees but deemed it necessary under the circumstances.
The outbreak linked to the liverwurst resulted in nine deaths and 57 hospitalizations this year. Boar’s Head recalled its Strassburger Brand Liverwurst on July 25 due to concerns about Listeria monocytogenes contamination. The company faced the largest listeriosis outbreak since 2011, prompting the recall of 7 million pounds of meat produced at the facility.
The United States Department of Agriculture issued a notice of suspension to the Jarratt facility on July 31. Records from the USDA revealed numerous violations at the Virginia plant, including findings of insects, mold, and blood puddles. The Agriculture Department reported instances of noncompliance with federal regulations at the plant from August 1, 2023, through August 2, 2024, as documented through federal Freedom of Information Act requests.
Boar’s Head has collaborated with regulatory agencies and food safety experts since the voluntary recall in late July to identify areas for improvement. The company has implemented enhanced food safety measures, such as appointing a new chief food safety officer, establishing a food safety council, and enhancing its food safety and quality assurance program.
A recent Gallup poll indicated that Americans’ confidence in the government’s ability to ensure food safety in the food supply has reached a record low since 1999.
