In a release posted Friday, Boar’s Head Provisions Inc. announced significant next steps in its efforts to respond to and rebound from a deadly outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes and the fallout of investigations and revelations that the company’s Jarratt, Va., processing plant has had issues for years.
Listeria was found in the company’s liverwurst product, and the outbreak that resulted has sickened some 50 people and resulted in the deaths of nine people across 18 states so far. Boar’s Head conducted a voluntary recall of the product on July 25, 2024, and began an investigation to determine the root causes of the contamination.
In the current announcement, Boar’s Head said it had identified “the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst.” As a result, the company said it would discontinue liverwurst production permanently.
USDA-FSIS suspended production at the Jarratt facility on July 31, and Boar’s Head said that it will now close the facility indefinitely as the most prudent course of action with regard to the plant. The company said it would assist employees through the transition.
Company-wide, Boar’s Head will appoint a chief food safety & quality assurance officer (CFSO), who will report to the company’s president and be chosen as soon as possible. Boar’s Head also will create an independent food safety council of industry-leading food safety experts, some of whom have been involved in the Jarratt investigation.
The founding members of the council are Dr. David Acheson, Dr. Mindy Brashears, Dr. Martin Wiedmann, and Frank Yiannas, MPH, the company noted. Members of the council will serve as advisors to the CFSO and Boar’s Head in general.
Finally, the CFSO and food safety council will be given the task of creating an enhanced companywide FSQA program — though few details were released about exactly what this new program would entail, it seems that nearly anything will be a significant step up, based on recent reports of massive food safety failures over at least the last year at the Jarratt facility.
