8/27/24 A total of 57 people in 18 states have been infected with the outbreak strain of listeria which now includes 9 deaths connected to the outbreak, including one in Florida.
· 2 in South Carolina
· 1 in Florida
· 1 in Illinois
· 1 in New Jersey
· 1 in Virginia
· 1 in Tennessee
· 1 in New Mexico
· 1 in New York
The Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia, is linked to the largest listeria outbreak since 2011.
During the multiple recalls, the following conditions were documented by the USDA according to Food Safety and Inspection Service records obtained by CBS News.
· What looked to be mold and mildew around the hand washing sinks for the workers tasked with meats that are supposed to be ready to eat.
· Mold outside of steel vats; in holding coolers between the site's smokehouses.
· A black moldlike substance was seen throughout the room at the wall/concrete junction; caulking around brick/metal
· Leaking or pooling water, including a puddle found to have "a green algal growth" inside and condensation dripping over product being held.
· After inspectors flagged one of the leaks to the company, workers tried to mop up the leaks. “The employee wiped a third time, and the leaks returned within 10 seconds," inspectors wrote after one condensation issue was raised on July 27, near fans that looked to be blowing the liquid onto uncovered deli meats.
· “Blood in puddles on the floor" and a "rancid smell" throughout a cooler used at the plant.
· Insects in and around deli meats at the plant, including one instance that prompted the agency to tag more than 980 pounds of ham in a smokehouse hallway to be "retained" for an investigation.
· Flies going in and out of "vats of pickle" left by Boar's Head in a room.
· Small flying gnat like insects were observed crawling on the walls and flying around the room. The rooms walls had heavy meat buildup"
· Other parts of the facility were also found to have bugs, including what looked to be "ants traveling down the wall," as well as a beetle and a cockroach.
The Jarratt, Virginia, plant has been closed until disinfected and meets Standards.
This Update is in addition to three Boar’s Head Deli Meat Products Recalls already included in Helps4Health Food Recalls:
Three Helps4Health posts on Boar's Head Recall: