‘Insufficient sanitation’ linked to Boar’s Head listeria outbreak, USDA says : NPR

A U.S. Division of Agriculture report has discovered that “inadequate sanitation practices” at a Boar’s Head facility in Virginia contributed to a listeria outbreak that left 10 individuals useless and dozens hospitalized across the nation final 12 months.

The report, launched Friday by the U.S. Division of Agriculture’s Meals Security and Inspection Service (FSIS), reviewed the listeria outbreak linked to the deli meat provider’s facility in Jarratt, Va.

In a single case, inspectors mentioned they discovered “meat and fat residue from the previous day’s production on the equipment, including packaging equipment.” Different cases included dripping condensation “on exposed product” and “cracks, holes and broken flooring that could hold moisture and contribute to wet conditions.” 

The outbreak lasted from July by way of November 2024, based on the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. With circumstances reported in over 19 states, it was the biggest outbreak of the foodborne bacterial sickness since 2011.

In an e-mail to NPR, a spokesperson for Boar’s Head mentioned: “We continue to actively cooperate with the USDA and government regulatory agencies on matters related to last year’s recall, and we thank them for their oversight.”

As well as, the spokesperson mentioned the corporate is working to implement enhanced meals security applications, “including stronger food safety control procedures and more rigorous testing at our meat and poultry production facilities.”

Boar’s Head recalled its ready-to-eat liverwurst merchandise linked to the outbreak in July. The recall later expanded to dozens of merchandise, together with sliced hams and sausages, all of which had been manufactured on the Virginia plant.

USDA inspection reviews present sanitation violations had been routine and never remoted on the plant, NPR beforehand reported. The reviews discovered useless bugs, dripping ceilings, mildew and black mildew close to machines on the plant.

In September, Boar’s Head completely closed its Jarratt plant and the corporate introduced it will discontinue making any liverwurst merchandise.

Friday’s report additionally included a evaluation of FSIS’s personal practices and procedures to stop the unfold of listeria, together with methods to reinforce its regulatory and sampling strategy to the sickness. The report cited “equipping FSIS inspectors with updated training and tools to recognize and respond to systemic food safety issues” as one of many steps the company would take to guard the general public from listeria.