Boar’s Head recalls more than 200,000 pounds of deli meat products due to listeria concerns

(CNN) — The company Boar’s Head has recalled ready-to-eat liverwurst products and some other deli meat products due to concerns that they may be contaminated with listeria.

The US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced Friday that the company is recalling about 207,528 pounds of products. The agency is conducting further tests to determine if the products may be related to an ongoing, multistate listeria outbreak that has killed two people. That outbreak has been linked with sliced deli meat.

Listeria bacteria can cause listeriosis, the third leading cause of death from foodborne illness in the United States. Symptoms usually include fever, muscle aches and fatigue. Infection may also cause a headache, a stiff neck, confusion or seizures. Pregnant people may have pregnancy loss or premature birth.

The ready-to-eat liverwurst products that Boar’s Head is recalling were produced between June 11 and July 17 and have a 44-day shelf life. The loaves of meat contain “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA,” and the products bear “sell by” dates ranging from July 25 to Aug. 30, printed on the side of their packaging.

The other recalled ready-to-eat deli meat products were produced on June 27, and include certain ham, bologna, beef salami and roasted bacon products.

The products subject to recall were distributed to retail deli locations across the United States, and the products shipped to deli retailers have the establishment number “EST. 12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on their labels.

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service is working closely with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the multistate outbreak of listeria.

As of Thursday, the outbreak has sickened 34 people in 13 states, including 33 who were hospitalized and two who died, according to the USDA. The deaths were reported in Illinois and New Jersey.

Most people who were sick reported eating turkey or liverwurst, and some reported eating ham. The meat came from a variety of grocery store delis. Tests using DNA fingerprinting showed that the bacteria from sick people was genetically similar, suggesting that they probably caught the bacteria from the same food.

The timeline of this outbreak stretches over several months, the CDC said. The first person got sick at the end of May, and the most recent case reported being sick on July 5.

Listeria can spread easily at delis, the CDC says, transferring from equipment to surfaces to hands and food. Refrigeration does not kill the bacteria, but heat can.

People who are pregnant, those who are 65 and older, and those with weakened immune systems are advised to avoid eating deli meat unless it’s been heated until it steams or reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.

If you’ve had sliced deli meat at home, clean the refrigerator and any containers or surfaces that may have come into contact with it.

Anyone who develops symptoms of listeriosis should get medical care right away.

The CDC is also encouraging people who get sick with listeria to work with local public health officials, who may get in touch to find out what they ate in the past month and may ask for receipts or leftover food to help pinpoint the root of the outbreak.

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