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What’s in Your Fridge? What You Need to Know About the Boar’s Head Listeria Recall
Aug
In the past month, nine people have died and dozens have been hospitalized in a listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meats, leading to the recall of seven million pounds of the company’s products.
The outbreak has been linked to the Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Va., where federal inspectors documented repeated problems. Inspection records show they found black mold, water dripping onto meat and dead flies.
The plant has been temporarily closed due to the outbreak. But reports of illnesses and deaths have continued to pile up, prompting public health officials to issue more warnings to consumers to make sure they throw away certain Boar’s Head meats, which may still be in your fridges.
Here’s what you need to know.
What is listeria?
Listeria monocytogenes is a bacteria that can be deadly. Listeria disease, which is primarily foodborne, can be transmitted through foods such as contaminated processed meats and unpasteurized dairy products, according to the Mayo Clinic.
People can also become infected with the disease by touching a surface containing the Listeria bacteria before touching their mouths.
Federal public health experts said the Boar’s Head case was the worst listeria outbreak since 2011, when contaminated cantaloupe killed 33 people and hospitalized at least 143.
Anyone can become infected with the bacteria, but the most common complications are pregnant women, people over 65 years of age and people with weakened immune systems.
What are the symptoms?
In soft cases, listeria can cause diarrhea and vomiting that subsides within three days. If the bacteria spreads beyond the intestines, the disease becomes much more severe. more serious and can cause flu-like symptoms such as muscle pain and fatigue, confusion, seizures and fever.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can take up to 10 weeks for symptoms to appear.
You should see a doctor if you notice symptoms of a earnest illness, such as muscle pain and fatigue.
What food products have been recalled?
So far, the only samples that have tested positive for Listeria were from liver pate processed at a plant in Virginia, the company said.
Boar’s Head has recalled all meats produced at the Jarratt plant where the pâté was processed. The full list of the 71 products recalled, including hams, salami and sausages produced between May 10 and July 29 this year, has been published on the website United States Department of Agriculture website.
The recalled products were sold nationwide, with some exported to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, according to the USDA.
The meats included in the recall are marked with “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA seal on the package, meaning they were produced in a Virginia facility.
What should I do if I still have icy cuts in my fridge?
Anyone who suspects their meat has been contaminated should check their refrigerator for products on the USDA recall list.
Any foods on this list should be thrown away or returned to the store where they were purchased for a full refund. the company said. All surfaces or objects that have come into contact with recalled meat should be thoroughly cleaned with scorching, soapy water.
Public health experts have described the Listeria bacteria as “resistant,” meaning it cannot be easily killed and elementary refrigeration will not get rid of it.
You can also choose disinfect your fridge using a solution of one tablespoon of liquid bleach in a gallon of water, after washing with soap and water.
Retailers have also been advised to pristine the surfaces of deli counters and slicers.
Are all Boar’s Head products affected by this recall?
Boar’s Head emphasizes that many of its products, including sliced turkey, chicken, roast beef and cheese, are still on sale and are not included in the recall. The company says they were not manufactured at the Virginia facility.
Any product currently on shelves should not be included in the recall.
What’s next?
Federal agencies are investigating where and how the bacteria got into Boar’s Head products. The company said only samples of liver paté were contaminated with Listeria and said the problem was “constrained to a single process” at a Virginia plant, one of several operated by the company.
Boar’s head he said it works with top food safety experts to answer those questions. It won’t distribute meat from that plant until it “meets the highest standards of quality and safety you deserve and expect,” a company spokeswoman said Thursday.
