Boar's Head to 'permanently discontinue' liverwurst after fatal listeria outbreak

This story was updated to correct a misspelling/typo.

Boar's Head liverwurst won't be available for purchase or consumption ever again, the company announced.

The decision to "permanently discontinue" the deli meat was announced Friday, months after the discovery of an ongoing listeria outbreak was tied to a "specific production process" that caused 57 hospitalizations across 18 states, including nine deaths as of late August, USA TODAY reported.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was made aware of the deadly outbreak on July 19, choosing to issue a recall for 207,528 pounds of Boar's Head liverwurst seven days later.

The company then decided on July 30 to expand the recall to include every product made at the same facility where its liverwurst was produced, resulting in 7.2 million pounds of recalled Boar's Head products, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.

The "root cause" of the contamination, according to Boar's Head, was a "a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst."

"With this discovery, we have decided to permanently discontinue liverwurst," the company said in a statement.

The company's latest announcement is one of many made since the outbreak was discovered in July, which has resulted in a multi-agency investigation, several lawsuits and, and calls for a congressional investigation, USA TODAY reported.

The human toll:His dad died from listeria tied to Boar’s Head meat. He needed to share his story.

Boar's Head announces closure of Virginia-based plant

Boar's Head also made the "difficult decision" to indefinitely close the Virginia-based facility that produced the liverwurst, impacting about 500 union workers and additional employees in management, USA TODAY reported.

"It pains us to impact the livelihoods of hundreds of hard-working employees. We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers," Boar's Head said. "But, under these circumstances, we feel that a plant closure is the most prudent course. We will work to assist each of our employees in the transition process."

Issues at the plant, including reports of mold and mildew, insects, water leaks and other unsanitary conditions, dated back to at least 2021, USA TODAY reported.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a notice of suspension to the facility in July, citing that the establishment "failed to maintain sanitary conditions" and "produced [a] product adulterated with (Listeria monocytogenes) linked to an ongoing outbreak."

Boar's Head "made no excuses" in response to the inspection records and noncompliance reports at the Jarratt plant.

Boar's Head plans to use 'dark moment' to improve

Boar's Head acknowledged that it was a "dark moment" in the company's history but plans to use the experience as an "opportunity to enhance food safety programs not just for our company, but for the entire industry."

The company will "immediately implement" enhanced food safety and quality measures to prevent future incidents, which are as follows:

• Appointing a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer 
• Establishing a “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” comprised of independent industry-leading food safety experts
• Creation of an enhanced companywide food safety and QA program

The company "remains steadfast" in its commitment to both customers and the safety and quality of their products, according to Boar's Head.

"You have our promise that we will work tirelessly to regain your trust and ensure that all Boar’s Head products consistently meet the high standards that you deserve and expect. We are determined to learn from this experience and emerge stronger."

Contributing: Mike Snider

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