Ƶ

BUSINESS

Boar's Head Listeria recall now reaching 71 items, should Texans be worried? What we know

Beck Andrew Salgado
Austin American-Statesman

Last week, the USDA announced a listeria outbreak found in Boar’s Head products. That outbreak now totals over 70 products and 34 listeria cases that have been identified, mostly on the East Coast. 

At the time of publication, the outbreak has affected more than seven million pounds of Boar's Head products. When the outbreak was announced last week only 200,000 pounds of packaged meat and poultry products had been flagged. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control, data shows meats sliced at delis may be contaminated with listeria and may be making people sick. As part of the investigation that led to a recall, the agency's testing found listeria in an unopened packing of Boar's Head liverwurst.

Boar’s Head is a popular brand in many supermarkets including Walmart, Randall’s and HEB. Here is everything you need to know about the outbreak and how to stay safe. 

A recall notice is posted next to Boar's Head meats that are displayed at a Safeway store on July 31, 2024, in San Rafael, California. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service, Boar's Head has expanded its recall of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products to nearly 7 million additional pounds due to a listeria outbreak.

Which states were listeria was reported in?

Currently, there are no reports of listeria in Texas, and the closest state with a case is Missouri with two reports. Moreover, states in the East Coast have been a hotbed for cases with New York reporting 12, Maryland reporting six and Virginia and New Jersey both reporting two cases. 

Here is the total list of states where listeria has been identified in relation to the outbreak:

  • Georgia
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Missouri
  • Minnesota
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • Pennsylvania
  • Virginia
  • Wisconsin

What Boar's Head meat is being recalled?

The Boar's Head items that have been flagged are labeled with the establishment numbers “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. A total of 71 products have been identified as dangerous by the USDA and range from sausages, hams and cheeses.

The product's sell-by dates are between July 29 and Oct. 17.

According to the USDA, in addition to the U.S., the meat was exported to: the Cayman Islands, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Panama. Boar's Head is headquartered in Jarrett, VA and the outbreak is believed to have started at a facility there.

See the Ի.

Beck Andrew Salgado covers trending topics in the Austin business ecosystem for the American-Statesman. To share additional tips or insights with Salgado, email Bsalgado@gannett.com.