Boar's Head shutters Virginia plant tied to deadly listeria outbreak

Boar's Head Provisions volition nary longer marque liverwurst and is closing the Virginia installation astatine the halfway of a listeria outbreak that killed 9 radical and hospitalized astatine slightest 57 successful 18 states, the shaper of deli meats announced connected Friday.

"We recognize the gravity of this concern and the profound interaction it has had connected affected families. Comprehensive measures are being implemented to forestall specified an incidental from ever happening again," the institution said in a connection posted connected its website.

The works successful Jarratt, Virginia, has not been operational since precocious July, erstwhile the institution recalled millions of pounds of deli nutrient products aft listeria was detected successful liverwurst produced astatine the facility.

Inspectors turned up dozens of violations astatine the plant, the mounting for the nation's largest listeriosis outbreak since 1 linked to cantaloupe successful 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

Federal inspectors cited the plant repeatedly aft uncovering leftover nutrient connected equipment, mold and mildew buildup, insects successful and astir deli meats and puddles of humor connected the plant's floor. 

The company's probe recovered the process utilized to marque liverwurst to beryllium down the contamination and has truthful decided to nary longer marque the merchandise astatine immoderate of its facilities, Boar's Head stated.

Roughly 500 national workers are impacted by the company's determination to adjacent the plant, according to the United Food and Commercial Workers, the national that represents them. 

Listeria monocytogenes is simply a bacterium that tin dispersed done water, mist, connected workers apparel and hands and improperly sanitized equipment. In 2002, a listeria outbreak successful turkey deli nutrient was linked to 8 deaths and 3 "fetal deaths" among large women, according to an account published by the National Library of Medicine. 

The USDA has a zero-tolerance argumentation for listeria successful ready-to-eat meats, meaning immoderate magnitude of contamination makes the merchandise unsafe for consumption. 

In summation to meats, the privately held Boar's Head brand, started successful 1905, includes cheeses, hummus and condiments.