Boar’s Head Plant Broke Food Safety Rules Multiple Times

A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia, linked to a deadly food poisoning outbreak, repeatedly violated federal regulations.

The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of products last month after tests confirmed that listeria bacteria in Boar’s Head products were making people sick. I Photo: Boar's Head Facebook

These violations included instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors, and equipment, according to newly released records. Jonel Aleccia reported this for the Associated Press (AP).

Government inspectors logged 69 instances of “noncompliance” with federal rules over the past year, including several in recent weeks, according to documents released through federal Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

Inspections at the plant have been suspended, and it will remain closed “until the establishment is able to demonstrate it can produce safe product,” U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) officials said in a statement.

Boar’s Head officials halted production at the Jarratt, Virginia plant in late July. The plant has been linked to the deaths of at least nine people and the hospitalization of about 50 others in 18 states.

All were sickened with listeria after eating Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Inc. deli meats. The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of products last month after tests confirmed that listeria bacteria in Boar’s Head products were making people sick.

Between August 1, 2023, and August 2, 2024, inspectors found “heavy discolored meat buildup,” “meat overspray on walls,” and “large pieces of meat on the floor.”

They also documented flies “going in and out” of pickle vats and “black patches of mold” on a ceiling. One inspector detailed blood puddled on the floor and “a rancid smell in the cooler.”

Plant staff were repeatedly notified that they had failed to meet requirements, the documents showed.