Deli Meat Has Led To 9 Deaths Since July. Here's What Experts Want You To Know
This summer's Boar’s Head deli meat recall continues to unfold. At least nine people have died from the recall, which was caused by Listeria monocytogenes contamination, according to the latest update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The recall investigation began in mid-July, with officials continuing to find more people impacted. According to the latest update, the recall has impacted people in 18 states and led to 57 hospitalizations. Given that some of this deli meat has sell-by dates into October, health officials continue to stress the importance of avoiding recalled deli meat.
The recall has also expanded over time, making it important to stay up to date on the latest. So what, exactly, has been taken off shelves and how can you stay safe? Here’s the deal.
Meet the expert: Wade Syers, DSocSci, a statewide Michigan State University Extension Food Safety Specialist. Darin Detwiler, LPD, is an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions.
What food is being recalled in 2024?
Boar’s Head has recalled about 71 products produced at the company’s Jarratt, Virginia, facility between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024, under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brand names, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
The recall originally started with some of the brand’s liverwurst products. It's since expanded to select meats that were made for slicing at delis, plus some packaged meats and poultry products. The products have “sell by” dates that range from July 29, 2024, through October 17, 2024. You can view the full list on the FSIS website, but it includes popular products like Virginia ham, salami, and kielbasa.
Why is food being recalled?
The recall originally began after health officials in Maryland discovered Listeria monocytogenes in a liverwurst sample collected. The outbreak then continued to expand to other products.
Listeria monocytogenes is bacterium that can cause listeriosis, a potentially serious and deadly infection, per the CDC. Listeriosis sickens about 1,600 people each year and causes an estimated 260 deaths annually, according to CDC data.
Unfortunately, this particular outbreak has been linked to 57 hospitalizations and nine deaths, per the CDC.
Will there be more food recalls?
It’s not clear. Way back when Listeria monocytogenes was first detected in this outbreak, public health officials cautioned against eating any deli meat. However, this particular outbreak seems to be limited to Boar’s Head meats produced in the company’s Jarratt, Virginia, facility.
Listeria can be found in moist environments, and deli meat has been linked to listeria contamination in the past, points out Wade Syers, DSocSci, an extension specialist for food safety at Michigan State University Extension. “Listeria can easily be spread from one surface to another—and that includes the equipment used to process foods,” he says. Meaning, this could happen again.
Plus, the current Boar's Head recall could be expanded again, says Darin Detwiler, LPD, an associate teaching professor of food policy at Northeastern University and author of Food Safety: Past, Present, and Predictions.
"I believe that we will likely see additional recalls of deli meats and cheeses this year and next year—especially as there is more regulatory interest," he says.
How do I avoid recalled food?
Unfortunately, food gets recalled on a regular basis. The best way to avoid recalled food is to pay attention to Food and Drug Administration announcements.
If you’re a person who is high risk for serious complications from foodborne illness—meaning, you have an underlying health condition or are pregnant—or you have a family member who is an older adult or young children in your house, it’s not a bad idea to keep tabs on the FDA's list of recalls and safety alerts, which is consistently updated.
It's not a bad idea to reheat all deli meat to 165 degrees Fahrenheit if you fall into a vulnerable group, Syers says. (Obviously, you don’t want to eat the recalled deli meat regardless, though.)
In this particular recall, the impacted meats should have been pulled from stores and shelves. But it doesn’t hurt to double-check before purchasing deli meat in the future.
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