Follow Up Article – Monitoring Food Safety
One: Listeria Linked to Boars Head
Second: Lessons from Boars Head
This blog posting discusses the use of HACCP Plans after approval, the work needed to make the Plan effective and one case where a food processor, Boars Head, apparently did not follow through and has paid the price in suspected foodborne illness cases, product recalls, legal difficulties and poor public relations.
Here are only three examples of what you’ll find searching the Internet, there are many more:
New York Times: ‘Boars Head Shuts Down Virginia Plant Tied to Listeria Deaths’
ABC News: ‘Boars Head to Indefinitely close plant at center of deadly listeria outbreak’
CBS News: ‘Bugs Mold and Mildew found in Boars Head plant linked to deadly listeria outbreak’
Information about the Boars Head incident can be found at the CDC Food Safety Alert (the illness), https://www.cdc.gov/listeria/outbreaks/details-delimeats-7-24.html and recall information at either https://boarshead.com/products-recall-2024 or https://www.fsis.usda.gov/
As of August 27, a total of 57 people infected with the outbreak strain of Listeria have been reported from 18 states. Sick people’s samples were collected from May 29, 2024 to August 16, 2024. Of 57 people with information available, all 57 have been hospitalized. Nine deaths have been reported. Illnesses may yet be reported as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
Results so far? New personnel, product recalls (liverwurst, deli meats and poultry (https://www.fsis.usda.gov/recalls-alerts/boars-head-provisions-co–recalls-ready-eat-liverwurst-and-other-deli-meat-products) a plant closing in Virginia and audits of all Boar’s Head facilities.
In addition to bacteria found in sick people, Listeria was also isolated from an unopened container of liverwurst from the Virginia production plant as well as a pallet used at that plant to move foods between refrigeration and production lines.
According to FSIS documents, the company relied on its prerequisite (PRP) food safety procedures to reduce the risk of Listeria. Site supervisors stated there were procedures to restrict employee movement between production lines but these were not written into the food safety plan. The isolation of Listeria on the food pallet suggests that the bacteria might have been transmitted by employees and/or equipment.
The investigation is still ongoing.