Key Takeaways
- Boar’s Head is closing its Jarratt, Va., plant indefinitely due to a Listeria outbreak linked to liverwurst.
- The company faces several lawsuits, including a $10 million claim from a woman hospitalized after consuming contaminated meat.
- Boar’s Head plans to enhance its food safety protocols while discontinuing liverwurst production permanently.
Closure of Jarratt Plant Amid Listeria Concerns
Boar’s Head has announced the indefinite closure of its Jarratt, Virginia plant following a Listeria monocytogenes outbreak, which was detected in the company’s liverwurst product in late July. The plant has remained inactive since that initial discovery, prompting scrutiny of the company’s safety protocols.
Testing confirmed the presence of Listeria in liverwurst, leading to numerous lawsuits from individuals claiming harm from the contaminated meat. One recent lawsuit notably seeks $10 million in damages, filed by a woman who was hospitalized for six days due to the outbreak.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) raised concerns regarding Boar’s Head’s sanitation practices. In a letter to the company, FSIS inspectors reported observing employees moving between production lines without changing personal protective equipment (PPE), even when shifting between different product types. Additional noncompliance issues were noted during inspections, casting a shadow on the company’s food safety measures.
Food safety attorney Bill Marler criticized the situation, suggesting that the consistent inspection reports indicate a lack of effective food safety planning at the Jarratt facility. He has called for an investigation into both Boar’s Head and the USDA/FSIS inspectors assigned to the plant. Marler stated, “It is hard to wrap your head around how food could be produced in these conditions by this company and under the gaze of FSIS inspectors.”
In response to the outbreak, Boar’s Head announced on September 13 that it would permanently cease production of liverwurst, citing a specific production process that contributed to the contamination and was unique to the Jarratt facility. The decision to close the plant indefinitely was further communicated by the company, which expressed regret over the impact on its employees. “We do not take lightly our responsibility as one of the area’s largest employers,” the company stated. “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.”
This situation marks a significant moment in the company’s history, and Boar’s Head views it as an opportunity to reform its food safety programs. The company aims not only to enhance practices for their operations but also to contribute positively to the broader food industry standards.
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