A Boar’s Head meats factory in Virginia was found to have violated a long list of hygiene regulations. Inspectors found mold, insects and moisture dripping from the ceiling.
The company halted operations at the plant in July, but new data may shed light on the cause of the ongoing listeria outbreak, the largest since 2011.
Boar’s Head recalled 7 million pounds of meat, ranging from ham to liverwurst, in late July after two people died and 13 people became seriously ill from infections caused by listeria bacteria.
The death toll now stands at nine, with at least 57 people in hospitals across 18 states. Food safety experts are calling the reports “the worst inspection reports” ever released.
Agriculture Department officials inspected the company’s largest plant in Virginia and found dozens of instances of “noncompliance” with federal regulations surrounding safe manufacturing practices over the past year, including several in recent weeks.
The company’s manufacturing facility in Virginia was found to have violated a long list of hygiene regulations
So far, nine people have died from an infection caused by listeriosis and 57 people have been hospitalized.
Food Safety and Inspection Service officials visited the Jarratt, Virginia, plant in early August and found a series of sanitation violations, including rusty equipment, mold on walls, “muddy” substances and debris on equipment, meat debris on countertops and equipment, and “distinct” odors.
She described black mold on the walls and ceilings “with spots as small as a pinhead and as large as a coin,” rusty knives and engines, meat scraps on the countertops, cutting machines and inspection lines, and a “distinct” smell of rancid, gray meat.
They also found stagnant water and condensation throughout the factory.
Although inspectors found no evidence that work surfaces were contaminated with listeria, the bacteria is known to thrive in water and soil, and in cool, moist places such as factory drains.
Bill Marler, a Seattle attorney specializing in food safety told USA Today: ‘These are the worst inspection reports I’ve ever seen.’
The advocate expects more illnesses — and possibly more deaths — to occur because the incubation period for listeria can be up to two months, meaning people who ate Boar’s Head products in July are still at risk.
Mr. Marler, who represents victims of the recall, also said Congress should investigate the outbreak and how inspectors allowed the unsanitary conditions to persist for so long.
U.S. agricultural officials say the plant will remain closed until “the company can demonstrate it can produce safe products.”
The map above shows the states where illnesses linked to the listeria outbreak in processed meats have been reported
The company has promised to address all violations found by inspectors.
This wasn’t the first time inspectors found hygiene violations at the facility. An inspection in February found “large amounts of blood in puddles on the floor,” evidence of workers returning to work without washing their hands, and a buildup of meat and garbage on the floors.
Garshon Morgenstein, whose 88-year-old father died of a listeria infection linked to Boar’s Head liverwurst, said: “I find it disgusting and shameful… I’m even more shocked that this could happen.
‘For the rest of my life I will have to remember my father’s death every time I hear or see the name Boar’s Head.’
Previous testing of unopened products by state health authorities found listeria in a sample of liverwurst, leading to the widespread recall.
Since sampling earlier this summer, Boar’s Head has recalled more than 7.4 million pounds of 71 products typically found behind grocery store counters across the country.
During that same period, nine people have died from listeriosis, the infection caused by the listeria bacteria, and 57 people have been hospitalized. The outbreak has reached 18 states.
In the US, about 1,600 people each year get a serious listeria infection, also known as listeriosis. About 260 of those infections are fatal.
The bacteria can survive on countertops for a long time because it forms a biofilm that sticks to hard surfaces, making it more difficult to ensure food safety.
Boar’s Head spokesperson Elizabeth Ward confirmed that all operations at the facility have been halted, saying CBS that no product will be released from the factory ‘until it meets the highest quality and safety standards.’
Boar’s Head has recalled more than 70 products commonly found in the deli sections of grocery stores across the country
Ward added: ‘During this time, we have worked with the industry’s leading food safety experts to conduct a thorough investigation to get to the bottom of the events that led to this recall.’
The current outbreak is the largest since the 2011 outbreak linked to melons, which killed 33 people and sickened 147.
In addition to flu-like symptoms, listeriosis can also cause nausea, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
That was the case for Sue Fleming, 88, who lives with her husband, Patrick, 76, in High Ridge, Missouri. Late last month, she ate a Boar’s Head liverwurst she bought at her local grocery store.
She was rushed to the hospital, where tests confirmed a listeria infection, according to a lawsuit she filed against the company.
Ms Fleming spent nine days in intensive care and 11 days in rehabilitation. She says she still suffers from neurological symptoms and has not fully recovered.
