The Listeria Outbreak From Boar's Head Deli Meat Is The Worst In More Than 10 Years

The Boar's Head listeria outbreak had already been one of the biggest food stories of the year when it broke a few months ago, but now the situation has turned even more serious as the death toll has risen to the highest for a listeria outbreak in over a decade. The bacteria outbreak first started in May of this year, with Boar's Head officially recalling more than 7 million pounds of deli meat in July after the issue was discovered. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) listed 71 different products affected by the recall, which were sold under both the Boar's Head and Old Country brand names. At the time only two fatalities and a few dozen hospitalizations had been linked to the outbreak, but a recent update has raised the death toll to nine with 57 hospitalizations, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). It is now the deadliest listeria outbreak since 13 people died from cases linked to tainted cantaloupe in 2011.

This is the second contamination recall for Boar's Head in as many years after another incident involving pre-packaged meats in 2023. The bacteria was first discovered in Boar's Head liverwurst, but has expanded to include a wide variety of sliced meats including bologna, salami, and ham. The full list of recalled items and images of the labels for the potentially contaminated products can be found on the USDA website. The recalled products were all manufactured in Boar's Head's Jarratt, Virginia plant.

The USDA has labeled this a class I recall, the most dangerous, due to risk of serious health consequences or even death. The CDC lists nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, and muscle aches as symptoms of a listeria infection, while more serious cases may involve headaches, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions. It is particularly dangerous for the elderly and those with compromised immune systems. Pregnant people are also at high risk, as listeria can cause complications like stillbirths, premature births, and infections of newborns. Symptoms often appear within a week, but note that this can also take up to 10 weeks, which delays tracking of any outbreak. If you've consumed deli meat possibly linked to the outbreak and are showing any of the symptoms you should contact a doctor immediately.

Any deli meat linked to the outbreak in your fridge should be thrown out at once and you should also disinfect the area. Some products were listed with sell-by-dates as late as October 2024. You can also check for the labels "EST. 12612" or "P-12612" on the USDA mark of inspection. If you are unsure at all, be on the safe side instead of risking your health. You can also call the USDA hotline at 888-674-6854 with any questions.