Mass recall of Boar’s Head products: 2 people have died, 34 hospitalized
1 august 2024 в 06:37
Last week, the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced the initial recall of 100 tons of Boar’s Head products after at least two people died and 34 others were hospitalized in 13 states due to potentially contaminated meat.
The expanded recall includes 71 products intended for slicing in deli departments, as well as some packaged meat produced between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brands. Among them are Virginia ham, beef salami, and bologna processed at the Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia.
The issue was discovered when a liverwurst sample collected by the US Department of Agriculture in Maryland tested positive for Listeria. Further tests showed that the type of bacteria was the same strain causing illnesses nationwide, reported between the end of May and July.
«Based on this new information, we have taken steps to ensure everything possible to protect public health», - Boar’s Head said in a statement on its website on Tuesday. The company also suspended the production of ready-to-eat food at the plant.
The meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama, officials from the Department of Agriculture said.
Consumers with recalled products in their homes should not consume them and should dispose of them or return them to stores for a refund, company representatives said. Health authorities recommend thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting refrigerators to prevent contamination of other products.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1,600 people are affected by Listeria food poisoning each year, with about 260 deaths.
Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches, and fatigue, and can also lead to neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. Symptoms can appear quickly or up to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food. Infections are particularly dangerous for people over 65, with weakened immune systems, and during pregnancy
The expanded recall includes 71 products intended for slicing in deli departments, as well as some packaged meat produced between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brands. Among them are Virginia ham, beef salami, and bologna processed at the Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia.
The issue was discovered when a liverwurst sample collected by the US Department of Agriculture in Maryland tested positive for Listeria. Further tests showed that the type of bacteria was the same strain causing illnesses nationwide, reported between the end of May and July.
«Based on this new information, we have taken steps to ensure everything possible to protect public health», - Boar’s Head said in a statement on its website on Tuesday. The company also suspended the production of ready-to-eat food at the plant.
The meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama, officials from the Department of Agriculture said.
Consumers with recalled products in their homes should not consume them and should dispose of them or return them to stores for a refund, company representatives said. Health authorities recommend thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting refrigerators to prevent contamination of other products.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 1,600 people are affected by Listeria food poisoning each year, with about 260 deaths.
Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches, and fatigue, and can also lead to neck stiffness, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures. Symptoms can appear quickly or up to 10 weeks after consuming contaminated food. Infections are particularly dangerous for people over 65, with weakened immune systems, and during pregnancy
© Smirnova Olga
