9 Dead In Listeria Outbreak; Bugs, Mold Found At Boar’s Head Plant

WASHINGTON, DC — A Boar’s Head plant in Virginia linked to a multistate listeria outbreak that has caused nine deaths had dead and live bugs, mold and mildew, according to records released by U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors.

At least nine people have died and at least 57 people have been hospitalized after being infected with listeria from the suspect Boar’s Head deli meats, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. Two people have died in South Carolina, and one person each has died in Florida, New Mexico, Tennessee, New York, Illinois, New Jersey and Virginia.

The USDA records, first obtained by CBS News through a Freedom of Information Act request, showed 69 reports of “noncompliance” at the Jarratt, Virginia, Boar’s Head plant have been filed with the agency’s Food Safety Inspection Service over the past year. Boar’s Head issued a massive recall of potentially contaminated products last month.

The dozens of violations in the plant that produces ready-to-eat meats included a “rancid smell,” mold and mildew buildup, “ample amounts of blood in puddles on the floor,” and pooled water from leaks that showed green algae growth.

Inspectors said there was condensation from one leak dripping over meat products. After inspectors flagged the problem, an employee to clean it up three times, but each time, “the leaks returned within 10 seconds,” inspectors wrote on July 27 after noting fans that appeared to be blowing the condensation onto uncovered deli meats.

Inspectors also noted both live and dead insects, writing after a June inspection, “Small flying gnat-like insects were observed crawling on the walls and flying around the room. The room’s walls had heavy meat buildup.”

Boar’s Head spokesperson Elizabeth Ward said in a statement to CBS that operations have been suspended at the Jarratt plant so it can be thoroughly disinfected and employees can be retrained in food safety. The company deeply regrets the impact of the recall and has made food safety its “absolute priority,” Ward said.

“As a USDA-inspected food producer, the agency has inspectors in our Jarratt, Virginia, plant every day and if at any time inspectors identify something that needs to be addressed, our team does so immediately, as was the case with each and every issue raised by USDA in this report,” Ward said.

It’s unclear if Boar’s Head will face any enforcement actions for the violations. The Food Safety Inspection Service’s published reports don’t indicate any action after the violation reports of the past year.

The CDC said Wednesday that people should double-check their refrigerators for any remaining recalled Boar’s Head products, as they have a long shelf life. Look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels. Some of the products have sell-by dates into October 2024.

Listeria infections are caused by a hardy type of bacteria that can survive and even thrive during refrigeration. An estimated 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die, according to the CDC. Infections can be hard to pinpoint because symptoms may occur quickly — or up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.

The infections are especially dangerous for older people, those who are pregnant or those with weakened immune systems.

The problem was discovered when a Boar’s Head liverwurst sample collected by health officials in Maryland tested positive for listeria. Further testing showed that the type of bacteria was the same strain causing illnesses in people.

Boar’s Head officials originally recalled liverwurst and other products meant to be sliced in retail delis with sell-by dates from July 25 to Aug. 30. On July 29, the recall was expanded to include all foods produced at the firm’s plant in Jarratt. The products included those sliced at deli counters as well as some prepackaged retail sausage, frankfurters and bacon.

All the recalled deli meats have been removed from stores and are no longer available, Boar’s Head officials said on the company’s website. The products were distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama, U.S. Agriculture Department officials said.

Many illnesses caused by food poisoning are short-lived, but listeria infections can have devastating effects.

In Virginia, Gunter “Garshon” Morgenstein, of Newport News, died on July 18 from a brain infection caused by listeria bacteria, an illness that was confirmed to be linked to the contaminated Boar’s Head products.

Morgenstein, 88, was a German-born Holocaust survivor who moved to Canada and then the U.S. as a young man and later became a flamboyant hair stylist, according to his son, Garshon Morgenstein. During his 70-year career, his father styled celebrities such as the singer Tom Jones and was known for his funny, outgoing personality, Garshon Morgenstein said.

Gunter Morgenstein enjoyed liverwurst, usually spread on bagels, and bought it regularly, insisting on the Boar’s Head brand because he believed it was top quality, his son said.

He fell ill in early July and was hospitalized on July 8, eventually becoming so sick that doctors said he suffered permanent brain damage and was unlikely to recover. Family members withdrew life support, his son said.

After Morgenstein’s death, a review of receipts showed that he bought the recalled deli meat tied to the outbreak on June 30. The family has hired a lawyer, Houston-based Ron Simon.

“It’s really just a senseless accident and tragedy for something that just should not have ever happened,” his son said. “He still had many good years left.”

The Associated Press contributed reporting.