207,000 pounds of Boar’s Head meat recalled over listeria concern

Boar’s Head has announced that it will recall more than 207,000 pounds of deli meat, including ham and liverwurst products sold nationwide, due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

The announcement comes after a test conducted at a store in Maryland found that liverwurst was positive for listeria.

An ongoing investigation resulted in the test, as 34 people in 13 states have fallen ill with listeria in recent weeks. According to a warning from the CDC earlier this month, the outbreak was thought to be linked to meats sliced at deli counters.

Of the 34 to fall ill with listeria, 33 have been hospitalized, and two have died, one in Illinois and another in New Jersey.

The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall on Friday in cooperation with the meat company, though further testing is ongoing to determine if the Maryland sample is connected to the outbreak.

The recall includes Boar’s Head ready-to-eat liverwurst produced from June 11 to July 17 and other deli meat products manufactured on the same machinery around the same time, like ham, bologna, and beef salami.

For the full list of product labels affected in the recall, visit the FSIS’s website here .

A spokesperson for Boar’s Head shared that the company is also conducting its own investigation and cooperating with government authorities.

“The health and safety of our customers is our top priority. As soon as a Listeria adulteration was confirmed in our Strassburger Brand Liverwurst, we immediately and voluntarily recalled the product,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we also made the decision to voluntarily recall additional products that were produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst product.”

Listeria is the third-leading cause of death from food poisoning in the US, according to the Food and Drug Administration .

Listeria can lead to severe illness, with symptoms including fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, convulsions, and loss of balance.

The bacteria is easily spread among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food.

Those who are pregnant, elderly, or have weakened immune systems are being advised by the CDC to avoid eating deli meats sliced at deli counters unless heated to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until steaming hot just before serving.

Symptoms tend to begin one to four weeks after consuming food contaminated with the bacteria but can also appear the same day or as late as 70 days after exposure.