As the death toll in the Boar’s Head deli meat recall hit nine, reports have surfaced that USDA inspectors found deplorable conditions at the Jarratt, Va., plant over the past year and even in weeks leading up to the outbreak of listeria tied to that plant.
USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service found repeated violations of food safety regulations, including instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment.
Government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules in the past year, according to an Associated Press report, including several in recent weeks. Boar’s Head officials halted production at the plant in late July and started issuing recalls.
Listeria linked to the plant has been the cause of at least nine deaths and hospitalizations of about 50 others in 18 states, according to reports. The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of products in the past month.
The latest recall list includes 71 products produced between May 10 and July 29 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names. These items include meat intended for slicing at retail delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations. Most were distributed to retail locations nationwide and some were exported.
In the earliest inspection report we saw, dated Aug. 8, 2023, an inspector had the covering of a pump removed and “an obvious odor filled the department.” Inside was “heavy, discolored meat build-up.” That same report noted meat overspray and fat on walls, rusting equipment and standing water. In one of the more recent inspections this July 27 -- a day after the first recall – an inspector noted water dripping from a ceiling that was blown by a fan onto uncovered hams.
Other inspections noted dead flies floating atop a vat of vinegar, dirty floors and mold.
The Boar’s Head brand was established in the New York City area in 1905. The company is now headquartered in Sarasota, Fla., and is controlled by the Brunckhorst and Bischoff families, descendants of the founder.
