By Jonel Aleccia | Associated Press
A Boar’s Head, Virginia, meat processing plant linked to a deadly food poisoning outbreak repeatedly violated federal regulations, including reports of mold, insects, liquid leaking from ceilings and meat and grease residue on walls, floors and equipment, newly released documents show.
Government inspectors have recorded 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules over the past year, including several in recent weeks, according to documents released following requests under the federal Freedom of Information Act.
Inspections of the plant have been suspended and it will remain closed “until the facility can demonstrate that it can produce safe products,” U.S. Department of Agriculture officials said in a statement Thursday. Boar’s Head officials halted production at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant in late July.
The plant has been linked to the deaths of at least nine people and the hospitalization of about 50 others in 18 states. All of the people were sickened by listeriosis after eating deli meats from Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Inc. The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of products last month after tests confirmed that Listeria bacteria in Boar’s Head products were making people sick.
Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors noted “a heavy accumulation of discolored meat” and “meat splatter on the walls and large chunks of meat on the floor.” They also found flies “flying in and out” of the brine tanks and “black spots of mold” visible on the ceiling. One inspector described pools of blood on the floor and “a rancid odor in the walk-in cooler.” Plant workers were repeatedly told they had not met the requirements, the documents say.
“I find this disgusting and shameful,” said Garshon Morgenstein, whose 88-year-old father, Gunter, died July 18 from a listeriosis infection linked to Boar’s Head liverwurst. “I’m even more shocked that this could have happened.”
The plant was inspected by Virginia officials in partnership with the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). When problems were found, Boar’s Head took “corrective actions in accordance with FSIS regulations,” officials said. Federal records show no enforcement actions against Boar’s Head between January and March, the latest available reports.
The documents, first reported by CBS News, did not contain any test results confirming the presence of Listeria at the plant. The bacteria thrives on floors, walls and pipes, in cracks and crevices and in hard-to-clean parts of food processing equipment. Pests such as flies can easily spread the bacteria throughout a plant, and the germ can survive in biofilms — thin, slimy clumps of bacteria that are hard to eradicate.
Boar’s Head officials did not respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press, but a spokesperson told CBS that the company regrets the impact of the recall and is prioritizing food safety. On its website, the company said all issues raised by government inspectors were immediately addressed.
Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, said the data raises a number of red flags.
“I wonder why further action was not taken by the management of this company and by the regulators,” she said.
Donald Schaffner, a Rutgers food science and safety expert who reviewed the inspection documents, said reports of condensation throughout the plant are concerning because it is a known risk factor for listeria.
“The fact that they’re having the same problems repeatedly, weeks apart, indicates that they’re really struggling to maintain the level of hygiene,” Schaffner said.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Listeria infections cause about 1,600 illnesses each year in the United States and about 260 deaths. People over 65, pregnant women, or those with weakened immune systems are most vulnerable.
Bill Marler, a Seattle attorney who has sued businesses over food poisoning outbreaks, said the conditions described in the inspection reports were the worst he has seen in three decades.
Garshon Morgenstein said his father purchased Boar’s Head products because of the company’s reputation.
“For the rest of my life I will have to remember my father’s death every time I see or hear the name Boar’s Head,” he said.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
