Boar's Head Makes Major Change After Listeria Outbreak

The deadly listeria outbreak linked to Boar's Head deli meats has prompted the company to take action at the source.

On Sept. 13, Boar's Head indefinitely shuttered the Virginia plant that has been linked to the bacterial outbreak that has so far been connected to nine deaths and nearly 60 hospitalizations, per The New York Times . In addition, after launching a recall in July and an investigation into the root causes of the outbreak, the company found that the spread was limited to its liverwurst products. As a result, the company will permanently discontinue liverwurst.

"In response to the inspection records and noncompliance reports at the Jarratt plant, we will not make excuses," the company said in a Sept. 13 statement on its website. "Given the seriousness of the outbreak, and the fact that it originated at Jarratt, we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely close this location, which has not been operational since late July 2024."

"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," it added.

Related: Popular Spinach Brand Recalls Packages in 7 States Due to Listeria Concerns

Boar's Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meats and other products earlier this summer after tests confirmed the presence of listeria bacteria. Moving forward, the food giant hopes to use this deadly outbreak as a chance to improve, starting with the appointment of a new chief food safety and quality assurance officer and the establishment of a "Boar's Head Food Safety Council."

"This is a dark moment in our company’s history, but we intend to use this as an opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry," it concluded.

For now, exercise caution and discretion when shopping for sandwich ingredients .