Boar's Head closing Virginia plant linked to deadly Listeria outbreak

Boar's Head said Friday it is closing the Virginia plant Tied to a deadly listeria outbreak.

The Sarasota, Florida-based company said it would permanently stop production of liverwurst, the product linked to the death. At least nine people And about 50 people were hospitalized in 18 states.

Boar Head regretted the outbreak in a statement on its website and offered a deep apology.

Boers Head said an internal investigation at the Jarrett plant in Virginia found the contamination was the result of a specific manufacturing process. The process existed only at the Jarratt plant and was used only for liverwurst, the company said.

The Jarratt plant has not been operational since late July, when Bower's chief 7 million pounds Testing of the deli's meat and other products has confirmed that Listeria bacteria in its products is making people sick.

Listeria infection It is caused by a hardy type of bacteria that can survive and even thrive during refrigeration. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, approximately 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die. Infection can be difficult to detect because symptoms can appear up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.

The Jarratt plant was one Troubled history. Government inspectors found 69 instances of “noncompliance” at the facility in the past year, including mold, insects, liquid dripping from the ceiling, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment.

Bowers Head said “hundreds” of employees would be affected by the closures.

“We do not take our responsibility as one of the area's largest employers lightly,” the company said. “But, under these circumstances, we feel that closing a plant is the most prudent course.”

The agency said it is hiring a new chief food safety officer who will report to its president. It is also establishing a safety council composed of independent experts, including former US Department of Agriculture food safety chief Mindy Brashers and former US Food and Drug Administration deputy commissioner for food policy Frank Yanas.

“This is a dark moment in our company's history, but we want to use this as an opportunity to improve food safety programs not only for our company, but for the entire industry,” the company said.