BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Popular deli meat purveyor Boar’s Head has issued a recall for all liverwurst products and other deli meats, saying they may have been contaminated with listeria.
At least one person was sickened in Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a statement on the recall Friday, July 26, announcing the recall for Boar’s Head liverwurst — a sausage made with liver.
The department said it may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, as may other deli meats produced on the same line and day.
The recall affects 207,528 pounds of Boar’s Head products produced June 11-July 17, 2024, and which have a 44-day shelf life.U.S. Department of Agriculture
The recall affects 207,528 pounds of Boar’s Head products produced June 11-July 17, 2024, and which have a 44-day shelf life.
The liverwurst in question includes 3.5-pound loaves in plastic casing, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA.”
The products shipped to retailers bear sell-by dates of July 25 to Aug. 30, 2024, printed on the side of the packaging.
Other affected products
The other ready-to-eat deli meat products were produced on June 27, 2024, and the following are subject to recall:
- 9.5-pound and 4.5-pound full product, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head VIRGINIA HAM OLD FASHIONED HAM” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
- 4-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE HAM” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
- 6-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head EXTRA HOT ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE HAM” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
- 4-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head BOLOGNA” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
- 2.5-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head BEEF SALAMI” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
- 5.5-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head STEAKHOUSE ROASTED BACON HEAT & EAT” with sell by date “AUG 15” on the product packaging
- 3-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head GARLIC BOLOGNA” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
- 3-pound, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head BEEF BOLOGNA” with sell by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging
The USDA states the products subject to recall were distributed to retail deli locations nationwide, and bear “EST. 12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.
Several states affected
Countless markets and delis across the Lehigh Valley and the rest of the commonwealth serve Boar’s Head products, though no cases have been confirmed in the area as of Friday.
As of Thursday, 34 sick people were confirmed affected by listeria linked to the deli meat in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths.
Samples were collected from sick people from May 29, 2024, to July 12, 2024.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reportincludes at least one sickness in Pennsylvania, seven in New York and two in New Jersey as of July 19.
According to the FSIS, the issue came to light when it was informed a sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for listeria.
The Maryland DOH, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, collected an unopened liverwurst product from a retail store for testing as part of an outbreak investigation of the infections.
Further testing continues to determine whether the product sample is related to the outbreak, and the FSIS encourages anyone concerned about illness to contact a health care provider.
The FSIS also stated it is working with the CDC and other state public health partners to investigate the outbreak linked to the meats sliced at delis.
Effects of listeria
Consuming food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or those with weakened immune systems.
Less commonly, people outside these risk groups are affected.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
“Treatment of listeria infection varies, depending on the severity of the signs and symptoms. Most people with mild symptoms require no treatment. More serious infections can be treated with antibiotics. During pregnancy, prompt antibiotic treatment might help keep the infection from affecting the baby.”The Mayo Clinic
The FSIS states an invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract.
The infection can lead to miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery, or life-threatening infection of newborns when it appears in pregnant individuals.
Older adults and those with compromised or weakened immune systems are also vulnerable to serious and sometimes fatal infections.
Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics, with the Mayo Clinic stating, “Treatment of listeria infection varies, depending on the severity of the signs and symptoms. Most people with mild symptoms require no treatment.
"More serious infections can be treated with antibiotics. During pregnancy, prompt antibiotic treatment might help keep the infection from affecting the baby.”
Boar’s Head customers with questions related to the recalled products have been encouraged to call Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc.’s customer service line at 1-800-352-6277.
