One Floridian is among at least nine people who have died after being infected with listeria from Boar's Head deli meats tied to a massive recall last month, federal health officials said Wednesday.
A meat plant in Virginia tied to the outbreak repeatedly violated federal regulations, including instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment, newly released records show.
In addition to the Florida fatality, the contaminated meat has been blamed for two deaths in South Carolina plus one each in New Mexico, Tennessee and New York, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Three deaths were previously confirmed in Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia.
At least 57 people in 18 states have been sickened and hospitalized in the outbreak. Three were in Florida, one each in Hillsborough, Palm Beach and Miami-Dade counties, according to the state Department of Health. It is unknown which county the Florida victim resided.
It is the largest listeria outbreak in the U.S. since one in 2011 linked to cantaloupe. Illnesses were reported starting in late May and have continued into August, the CDC said.
Sarasota-based Boar’s Head has recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli products.
Listeria infections are caused by a hardy type of bacteria, L. monocytogenes, which can survive and even thrive during refrigeration. An estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die, according to the CDC. Infections can be hard to pinpoint because symptoms may occur quickly — or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.
The infections are especially dangerous for older people, those who are pregnant or those with weakened immune systems.
“Noncompliance” at Virginia plant
The problem was discovered when a Boar’s Head liverwurst sample collected by health officials in Maryland tested positive for listeria. Further testing showed that the type of bacteria was the same strain causing illnesses in people.
Boar’s Head officials originally recalled liverwurst and other products meant to be sliced in retail delis with sell-by dates from July 25 to Aug. 30. On July 29, the recall was expanded to include all foods produced at the firm’s plant in Jarratt, Virginia.
Government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules at the plant in the past year, including several in recent weeks, according to documents released through federal Freedom of Information Act requests.
Inspections have been suspended and the facility will remain closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” U.S. Agriculture Department officials said in a statement Thursday. Boar's Head officials halted production at the plant in late July.
Between Aug. 1, 2023, and Aug. 2, 2024, inspectors found “heavy discolored meat buildup" and “meat overspray on walls and large pieces of meat on the floor.” They also documented flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling. One inspector detailed blood puddled on the floor and “a rancid smell in the cooler.” Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the documents showed.
Corrective actions taken
The plant was inspected by Virginia officials through a partnership with the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service. When problems were found, Boar's Head took “corrective actions in keeping with FSIS regulations,” officials said. Federal reports show no enforcement actions against Boar’s Head between January and March, the latest records available.
The documents, first reported by CBS News, didn't contain any test results that confirmed listeria in the factory. The bacteria thrive on floors, walls and drains, in cracks and crevices and hard-to-clean parts of food processing equipment. Pests such as flies can easily spread the bacteria through a plant and the germ can survive in biofilms — thin, slimy collections of bacteria that are difficult to eradicate.
A Boar’s Head spokesperson told CBS that the company regrets the impact of the recall and prioritizes food safety. On its website, the company said all the issues raised by government inspectors were addressed immediately.
The contaminated products included those sliced at deli counters as well as some prepackaged retail sausage, frankfurters and bacon. All the recalled meats have been removed from stores and are no longer available, Boar’s Head officials said on the company’s website.
Donald Schaffner, a Rutgers food science and safety expert who reviewed the inspection documents, said reports of condensation throughout the plant are concerning because that's a known risk factor for listeria.
“The fact that they are having the same problems over and over again weeks apart is an indication that they really struggling to keep up with sanitation,” Schaffner said.
“Disgusting and shameful”
CDC officials urged consumers to check their refrigerators for the recalled products. Look for EST. 12612 or P-12612 inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels, some of which have sell-by dates that extend into October.
Discard recalled foods and thoroughly clean and sanitize refrigerator and other surfaces they touched.
Many illnesses caused by food poisoning are short-lived, but listeria infections can have devastating effects.
In Virginia, Gunter “Garshon” Morgenstein, of Newport News, died on July 18 from a brain infection caused by listeria bacteria, an illness that was confirmed to be linked to the contaminated Boar’s Head products.
Morgenstein, 88, was a German-born Holocaust survivor who moved to Canada and then the U.S. as a young man and later became a flamboyant hair stylist, according to his son, Garshon Morgenstein. During his 70-year career, his father styled celebrities such as singer Tom Jones and was known for his funny, outgoing personality, his son said.
“I think it is disgusting and shameful,” his son said about conditions at the Virginia plant. “I'm just even more in shock that this was allowed to happen.”
Gunter Morgenstein enjoyed liverwurst, usually spread on bagels, and bought it regularly, insisting on the Boar’s Head brand because he believed it was top quality, his son said.
He fell ill in early July and was hospitalized July 8, eventually becoming so sick that doctors said he suffered permanent brain damage and was unlikely to recover. Family members withdrew life support, his son said.
After Morgenstein’s death, a review of receipts showed that he bought the recalled deli meat tied to the outbreak on June 30. The family has hired a lawyer, Houston-based Ron Simon.
“For the rest of my life, I have to remember my father's death every time I see or hear the name Boar's Head,” his son said.
According to the Boar's Head website, retailers carrying products in Florida include Publix, Detwiler's Farm Market in Sarasota and Milam's Market in South Florida.
