Meat Recall Update as Millions of Pounds Included After Outbreak

Boar’s Head Provisions Co. expanded a meat recall to include an additional 7 million pounds of product, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS) announced on Tuesday.

According to the USDA FSIS update, Boar’s Head announced the expanded recall after a sampling of liverwurst tested positive for the listeria outbreak strain. The sample was taken by the Maryland Department of Health, according to the federal agency.

Boar’s Head also reported the expanded recall on its company website on Tuesday, adding: “We deeply regret that our liverwurst products were found to be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for the families that have suffered losses and others who endured illness.”

The expanded recall includes meat distributed nationwide between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under both the Boar’s Head and Old Country branding, the USDA FSIS update says. The “sell by” dates listed on these products occur between July 29, 2024, through October 17, 2024.

The 71 new recalled items include meat “intended for slicing” and packaged meat and poultry. The meat was also sent to the Cayman Islands, Panama, the Dominican Republic and Mexico, the federal agency said.

Boar’s Head and the agency posted the full list of recalled products on their websites. The USDA FSIS also posted the product labels.

The federal agency noted in its update that it is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the outbreak, and as of Tuesday that “34 sick people have been identified in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths.”

Newsweek reached out to Boar’s Head Provisions Co. via email on Tuesday night about any additional reported illnesses and was advised to reach out to the CDC. Newsweek has also reached out to the CDC via email.

According to the USDA FSIS, if you consume contaminated foods with Listeria monocytogenes, you may develop an infection called listeriosis, which, according to the agency, can trigger headaches, a stiff neck, fever, or muscle aches.

Customers are asked to contact the Boar’s Head recall hotline at (888) 266-7913 or customer service at 1-800-352-6277. The company also advised customers to throw out or return any of the recalled products for a full refund.

The USDA FSIS also “recommends” deli retailers to discard open cheeses or meats and to clean and sanitize all surfaces to avoid possible listeria contamination, the update says.