The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a new alert to avoid the sale and consumption of Boar’s Head brand deli meat products after reports of more deaths and sickened people due to the largest multi-state outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes in 13 years.
According to the most recent CDC report on August 28, 2024, 57 people have been hospitalized, and nine people died as a result of consuming deli meat products contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes.
The recall of more than seven million pounds of Boar’s Head brand deli meats was announced at the end of July after a sample of a Liverwurst product taken by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes.
Since the last CDC notification on August 8, 2024, an additional 14 sickened individuals were reported, bringing the total to 57. All became hospitalized, and nine died.
The six new deaths occurred in Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, and New York, and two in South Carolina.
Related Article: Boar’s Head Recalls for Ready-To-Eat Meat and Poultry
The CDC warned that listeria is a resistant germ that can remain on surfaces, such as meat slicers and in food, even at refrigeration temperatures. In addition, it can take up to 10 weeks for some people to develop symptoms of listeriosis.
They recommended consumers check their refrigerators to ensure they have no recalled Boar’s Head products, as their shelf life can be long. Look for the “EST. 12612” or ‘P-12612’ inside the USDA mark of inspection on product labels. Some of the products have expiration dates through October 2024.
Businesses that received the recalled deli meats should take extra precautions such as cleaning, sanitizing, and throwing away sliced deli meats and opened deli cheeses. Businesses should also follow USDA-FSIS best practices for controlling Listeria contamination in deli areas.