Boar’s Head, generally considered a premium deli meat brand, continues to battle the largest listeria outbreak since the 2011 cantaloupe outbreak, which left 10 people dead.
As of late September, 59 people were hospitalized in 19 states due to outbreaks linked to Boar’s Head products. With lawsuits and investigations still ongoing, many consumers may be wondering, “Is it safe to eat Boar’s Head Deli meat again?”
At least one investigation with potential legal implications is ongoing, but Boar’s Head says affected food products will be “quickly” removed from shelves and products currently on sale are subject to a recall. He said it was safe to eat.
However, the serious damage caused by the outbreak has likely damaged the reputation of the once-respected brand. Before you hit the deli counter, here’s what Boar’s Head and other experts want you to know.
Human casualties: His father died from Listeria monocytogenes linked to boar head meat. He needed to share his story.
Boars Head says all products currently available are safe
After Boar’s Head recalled all deli meat produced at its Jarratt, Va., facility on July 29, the company issued an email to USA TODAY and on its website to remove all products from commerce. “We took immediate action,” he said.
It advised that only products on the recall list purchased before July 31 should be thrown away, but Boar’s Head products currently available in food retailers and food service outlets are not included in the recall. do not have.
The Q&A section currently available on the Boar’s Head website regarding this outbreak once again answers the question, “Can I consume Boar’s Head products sold today?” The answer is the same: “Boar’s Head products currently sold in retail food stores and food service establishments are not subject to the recall.”
On September 13, Boar’s Head not only closed its Jarratt factory permanently, but also said that the root cause of the contamination was “found to be the result of a specific manufacturing process” and suspended the production of liverwurst indefinitely. announced that it would be cancelled. It only existed at the Jarratt facility and was only used for liverwurst. โ
On Friday, Boar’s Head President Elizabeth Ward told USA TODAY that the company has an “unwavering commitment to food safety and a long tradition of producing high-quality, delicious products.”
“The company is working hard to ensure that consumers continue to trust the Boar’s Head brand,” Ward said, adding that the company has appointed “renowned food safety expert” Frank Yiannas to the Boar’s Head brand. He added that he has been appointed as Head’s chief food safety advisor. provisional base. โ
“He will also chair the recently formed Boar’s Head Food Safety Advisory Committee, which is comprised of industry-leading independent food safety experts,” the company said.
CDC reiterates food safety guidelines
A CDC spokesperson pointed USA TODAY to the agency’s general guidance on food safety and avoiding exposure to Listeria monocytogenes. CDC recommends that people who are most susceptible to listeriosis infection, regardless of the outbreak, especially those who are pregnant, over 65 years of age, or have a weakened immune system, follow precautions. I am.
The CDC webpage on Listeria monocytogenes notes that soft cheese, raw milk, dairy products, deli meats, prepared foods, pate, cold-smoked fish, bean sprouts, and melons are the foods most likely to be infected with Listeria monocytogenes. are.
Products sold at deli counters, especially products that are sliced โโor prepared in the deli, can become contaminated through contact with deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and other foods. Refrigeration will not kill Listeria, but proper heating will.
As a result, everyone, especially those at high risk, should practice steps such as washing hands, kitchen tools, refrigerators, and countertops before, during, and after handling food. Use separate cutting boards, plates, utensils, and storage space for raw produce and raw animal products. Cook food to proper internal temperature. Keep food properly refrigerated to slow bacterial growth.
USDA said investigation is ongoing
“Deaths and hospitalizations related to foodborne illness are far too high,” a representative from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said in a statement to USA TODAY on Friday.
“We take public health and corporate liability issues very seriously and our investigation into this matter is ongoing,” the inspector general said in a statement.
In addition to a comprehensive investigation of Boar’s Head facilities across the United States, the agency said its ongoing investigation into this matter includes a “thorough investigation” to determine the factors that led to the outbreak at this particular facility. This includes an investigation. What needs to be improved, with a particular focus on state inspection models, and where policy changes are needed to prevent oversight gaps.
Expert: “Safest time to buy Boar’s Head”
Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety extension officer with the Pennsylvania Department of Food Science, told USA TODAY that Boar’s Head is likely tightening and strengthening its sanitation and environmental monitoring processes. One of the primary means of controlling Listeria monocytogenes is to control the hygienic cleanliness of the packaging environment. This is likely to be done through increased sampling and testing at facilities and proactive responses to adverse findings, he said.
“This is probably the safest time to buy Boar’s Head,” Bucknavage said. โFirst, they shut down the facility that had the problem. Second, companies that experience problems like this often check their systems over and over again to ensure the safety of their products. We should be on high alert, and the Department of Agriculture is definitely on high alert to ensure the safety of our products.”The Boar’s Head products that are produced are safe. โ
The severity of the outbreak could also make the entire deli counter safer, he said.
“In fact, this is the very history of regulation in the United States. Most changes in food regulations are made in response to issues such as infectious disease outbreaks,” he said. Manufacturers of similar foods are likely to double- and triple-check their products and procedures more carefully, and on a larger scale, we may expect to see tightened protocols at the regulatory level. yeah. In the past, Congress has intervened and made major changes.
Expert: “We betrayed the trust of consumers”
Dr. Brian Kwok Lee, a food scientist and food industry consultant, had a more skeptical view of the situation.
“I think the whole scenario betrayed consumer trust,” he told USA TODAY. “As a private consumer and someone in the industry, I would probably tell my family not to eat boar’s head for at least six months, if not a year.”
The reason, he said, is not because he believes Boar’s Head products are still contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, but because it takes time to adjust and improve a company’s culture and approach to food safety. That’s what it means.
“It’s not like you can flip a coin and everything will work out,” he says. “It was the corporate culture policies in place that caused this problem at this factory. Who’s to say it might not be the case at other factories as well? And it might not be Listeria monocytogenes that is so serious. It may not be food poisoning, but it could even be minor. โ