Protecting families from contaminated food and water
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Protecting families from contaminated food and water
Posted in Listeria,Our Blog,Outbreaks & Recalls on January 15, 2025
Boar’s Head’s response to a formal letter from Congress is found lacking, says Rep. DeLauro and other members of the legislative body. An evasive move that leads to more questions than answers and concerns over the future safety of products coming from the deli product giant.
Here’s what we know about the Listeria outbreak linked to deli meats and Boar’s Head’s response to questions posed by Congress.
The Boar’s Head Listeria outbreak investigation, spanning July to November 2024 across 19 states involved many serious illnesses. Some of which resulted in deaths. Many lawsuits are still in progress as a result.
At least 61 cases were linked to the outbreak. All but one resulted in hospitalization. At least 10 deaths were reported.
People began falling seriously ill with Listeria infections. Patient interviews pointed to deli meat. But it took a bit for a specific source to be identified. It wasn’t until the Maryland Department of Health and Baltimore City Health Department collected and tested an unopened Boar’s Head liverwurst product and identified Listeria monocytogenes in it that a breakthrough was made.
Boar’s Head announced a recall for that liverwurst product on July 26, 2024 and a subsequent recall for all products made in that same facility a few days later.
That facility, located in Jarratt, Virginia went viral. Rather, the 44-page document presenting the 69 violations the facility was cited for. Some of which would turn your stomach just reading it.
From rotting meat to standing water. Pests to foul odors. The list goes on and on.
The facility was permanently closed, says Boar’s Head spokespeople. But answers to the contrary were presented in Boar’s Head’s response to congress.
The original letter, dated September 30, 2024, was written by 22 members of Congress, including Representative Rosa DeLauro. A democrat from Connecticut who called Boar’s Head’s response both “not credible” and “a classic corporate dodge.”
In addition to the company’s reaction to the outbreak, their sanitation model for the USDA’s existing Listeria Rule was questioned. Some of the questions were vaguely answered. Others were not answered at all.
Responses to the Warning Letter included their use of the “Alternative 3 model” allowable in the USDA’s Listeria Rule, though this was arguably the “weakest” of all available options.
Some questions were answered.
However, others like aspects of their response to the outbreak, such as establishing a Food Safety Advisory Council and a Chief Food Safety Advisor role. Their management of product recall, the impacts to consumer confidence. Along with other direct questions were left unanswered.
Were these responses intentionally left out?
If so. Why?
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced new steps aimed to strengthen their oversight of regulated food processing facilities. Primarily aimed at protecting the public from Listeria monocytogenes.
Deficiencies observed during the fatal Listeria outbreak along with some of the concerns posed by Congress and an internal review have shaped these new regulatory changes.
This announcement came shortly after the Boar’s Head’s response to their Warning Letter. But some do not feel like it is enough.
“While I am grateful that FSIS has acknowledged how they fell short and I await their response, I am not confident that Boar’s Head has done the same,” says Rep. DeLauro. “I look forward to USDA’s Office of the Inspector General getting to the bottom of this [outbreak], and I encourage USDA and the U.S. Department of Justice to hold Boar’s Head accountable if they are liable.”
More news is expected on the subject.
Listeria infections are diagnosed with specialized laboratory tests.
The symptoms associated with listeriosis (the illness associated with Listeria infections) can be easily confused with other illnesses. To complicate things further, there are two different forms of Listeria infections and symptoms range in severity depending on where they take place in the body.
Intestinal Listeria illness occurs when the bacteria infect the digestive system. Invasive Listeria illness occurs when the bacteria leave the digestive system and enter other areas of the body. Additionally, symptoms differ between those who are pregnant and those who are not pregnant.
Intestinal illness is the most common form of listeriosis. This type of Listeria infection is limited to the digestive system.
Symptoms often include vomiting and diarrhea that often begins within 24 hours of consuming contaminated food and lasts around 1 to 3 days.
Most people with this type of listeriosis recover on their own and don’t need antibiotic treatment They treat their symptoms by keeping hydrated until the illness passes. Those in the higher risk groups may need medical treatment and antibiotics to recover.
Intestinal listeriosis may evolve to a more invasive illness.
Invasive illness occurs when Listeria bacteria move beyond the digestive system and into other parts of the body. In this case, listeriosis affects pregnant and non-pregnant people differently. Both groups experience symptoms about 2 weeks after exposure to contaminated food.
People who are not pregnant often experience more severe invasive Listeria symptoms. Headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions are common, in addition to fever and muscle aches. This type of illness can be serious and life-threatening. In fact, 1 in 20 non-pregnant people with invasive listeriosis will die from their illness!
Most people with invasive listeriosis require medical treatment and often need hospitalization.
Pregnant people often experience milder general symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and muscle aches. The greater risk, however, is associated with the pregnancy. Listeriosis during pregnancy can lead to still birth, premature delivery, miscarriage, or life-threatening infection in the newborn.
Lawsuits have been announced in response to this outbreak. If you have become sick from consuming Boar’s Head deli meat products you may have a legal case. The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has a Listeria lawyer that can help.
The Lange Law Firm, PLLC has helped many people with cases just like yours recover millions of dollars in product contamination and product liability lawsuits.
Call (833) 330-3663 or email for a free, no obligation consultation.
By: Heather Van Tassell (contributing writer, non-lawyer)