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• Posted August 11, 2025

Boar’s Head Plant To Reopen After Deadly Listeria Outbreak, but Concerns Remain

A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia that was linked to a deadly listeria outbreak last year will reopen soon, federal officials say. But recent inspections show similar sanitation problems at other company sites.

The Jarratt, Va., facility was closed down in September 2023 after U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspectors found the company “failed to maintain sanitary conditions," The Associated Press reported.

The listeria outbreak killed 10 people and sickened dozens more. Boar’s Head permanently stopped making liverwurst and recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meats.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said it “thoroughly reviewed” the plant and lifted its suspension on July 18, noting that "the serious issues that led to suspension have been fully rectified,” the agency said in an email to The AP.

Records obtained by The AP show that inspectors found similar sanitation issues this year at Boar’s Head facilities in Arkansas, Indiana and Virginia. The most recent report, from June, cited problems, including:

• Meat and fat residue left on equipment and walls

• Blocked drains filled with meat scraps

• Condensation dripping over surfaces that come in contact with food

• Employees skipping hairnets, aprons and handwashing

In April, an inspector at the Petersburg, Va., site found discarded meat, including “5-6 hams, 4 large pieces of meat a large quantity of pooling meat juice,” under equipment, The AP said.

“This is a pattern of negligence — cutting corners to protect the company’s bottom line at the expense of consumers and these conditions show a complete disregard for food safety and for the public health of the American people,” said U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, a Connecticut Democrat.

Experts warn that the ongoing issues signal deeper problems. 

“What jumped out to me is there is an organizational culture issue that needs to be changed,” Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Food Safety and Nutrition Security Center at George Washington University, told The AP.

The company defended its response to last year’s outbreak.

“Boar’s Head has an unwavering commitment to food safety and quality. That commitment is reflected in recent enhancements to our practices and protocols," the company said.

“We have also been working with the USDA in developing a plan to reopen our Jarratt facility in a measured, deliberate way in the coming months,” the company added, as reported by The AP.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the No. 3 cause of death from food-borne illness in the U.S. 

It is especially dangerous to people who are pregnant, older or who have weakened immune systems. Experts advise people in those groups should be cautious.

"There are issues at this organization that still are not completely under control, apparently," Kowalcyk told The AP.

More information

The Mayo Clinic has more on listeria.

SOURCE: The Associated Press, Aug. 8, 2025