Boar’s Head Virginia Plant Shut Down Following Deadly Listeria Outbreak

The deli meat company Boar’s Head announced Friday that it’s closing its Virginia plant following a listeria outbreak in its products that resulted in multiple deaths and dozens of hospitalizations.

“We regret and deeply apologize for the recent Listeria monocytogenes contamination in our liverwurst product. We understand the gravity of this situation and the profound impact it has had on affected families,” the company said in a statement , adding that “comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again.”

At least nine people in various states died from being infected with listeria after consuming Boar’s Head deli meats last month, and at least 57 people have been hospitalized since May, prompting the company to recall more than 7 million pounds of its products.

The listeria outbreak is the largest in the U.S. since 2011 . The bacterial infection can cause mild symptoms such a s fever, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. In more severe cases, it can lead to headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, convulsions and even death, according to the Food and Drug Administration .

An investigation into the outbreak found that the root cause of the contamination was a specific production process that only existed at the Boar’s Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia, and that was only used for liverwurst, according to the statement.

Records released last month linked the deadly outbreak to repeated violations of federal regulations at the Virginia location, including the presence of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment.

After swabbing pieces of equipment in July, inspectors found that the plant had “inadequate controls” in place to prevent the listeria spread, according to Agriculture Department records released on Friday.

The Jarratt plant was given a notice of suspension at the end of July. After reviewing inspection records and noncompliance reports from the plant, the company decided to indefinitely close the location and discontinue its production of liverwurst.

“It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees,” the company said. “We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers. But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process.”