(WFSB) – Boar’s Head Provisions Co. announced it is recalling a number of products due to possible listeria contamination issues.
The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service announced the recall Friday.
As a result, Big Y has announced the temporary closure of its delicatessens.
The store said it plans to destroy all potentially affected products and deep clean and disinfect shelves.
“We have stopped shipping all affected products to our stores at this time,” said John Fraro, senior director of fresh produce at Big Y. “We are taking these steps as a precaution for the safety of our customers. To ensure we break the supply chain, we will also be disposing of any products that may have come into contact with the affected products. We will continue to be vigilant and take precautions to prevent future incidents.”
Stop & Shop told Channel 3 it was removing the products.
The president of the Connecticut Food Association also released a statement.
As the CDC and USDA continue to investigate various deli meats for potential contamination, Boar’s Head has informed customers that they are recalling specific deli meat products. In response, Connecticut grocers are taking immediate action to ensure customer safety. We urge all food retailers to immediately remove all Boar’s Head products from sale. We also recommend throwing out any other opened deli meats and cheeses that may have been sliced or prepared in the same area and conducting a thorough cleaning of deli sections in all stores serving Boar’s Head products in Connecticut.
This situation underscores the seriousness of food safety concerns. Potential contamination of deli meats poses significant health risks and all grocers must take swift and comprehensive action to protect consumers. Ensuring the safety of the products we sell is our top priority and we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of sanitation and safety in all grocery stores across our state. We encourage consumers to stay informed and contact their local grocers for more information about recalled products and the safety measures being implemented.
The Big Y in Rocky Hill is open again after closing earlier today.
At Whole Deli in Rocky Hill, Heidi Cavanaugh says they got rid of the recalled meats immediately, but didn’t have to close because other meats weren’t affected.
“We don’t open all of our meats when we come in. In the morning, we only open them when we need them. So if the meat is wrapped the night before, it stays wrapped until a customer requests it,” Cavanaugh says.
The recall affected all liverwurst products and some ham, mortadella, salami and bacon products.
The ready-to-eat liverwurst products were manufactured between June 11, 2024, and July 17, 2024, and have a shelf life of 44 days, the FSIS said.
They included:
- 3.5 lb loaves in plastic wrap or various weight packages sliced at retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA”. Products shipped to retailers have sell-by dates ranging from July 25, 2024 to August 30, 2024, printed on the side of the package.
Other ready-to-eat meat products affected by the recall and manufactured on June 27, 2024 included:
- Whole product of 9.5 lbs. and 4.5 lbs., or various weight sliced packages in retail delicatessens, containing “VIRGINIA HAM Boar’s Head OLD FASHIONED HAM” with a sell-by date of “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
- 4 lb or various weight packages, sliced in retail delicatessens, containing “Boar’s Head ITALIAN CAPPISTE STYLE HAM” with a sell-by date of “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
- 6 lb or various weight packages, sliced in retail delicatessens, containing “Boar’s Head ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE EXTRA HOT HAM” with a sell-by date of “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
- 4 lb packages or various weights, sliced in retail delicatessens, containing “Boar’s Head BOLOGNA” with the sell by date “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
- 2.5 lb or various weight packages, sliced in retail delicatessens, containing “Tête de Boar BEEF SALAMI” with a sell-by date of “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
- 5.5 lb packages or various weights, sliced at retail delicatessens, containing “Boar’s Head STEAKHOUSE ROASTED BACON HEAT & EAT” with a sell-by date of “AUGUST 15” on the product packaging.
- 3 lb packages or various weights, sliced in retail delicatessens, containing “BOLOGNA WITH GARLIC BOAT’S HEAD” with the sell-by date “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
- 3 lb or various weight packages, sliced in retail delicatessens, containing “Boar’s Head BEEF BOLOGNA” with the sell-by date “AUGUST 10” on the product packaging.
The FSIS said the products were distributed to delicatessens nationwide. They bear the establishment number “EST. 12612” inside the USDA inspection mark on the product labels.
Take a look at the labels below:
He said the products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.
The agency said the problem was discovered when it was notified that a sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for L. monocytogenesThe Maryland Department of Health, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Department of Health, collected an unopened liverwurst product from a retail store for testing as part of an investigation into a listeria outbreak. Further testing is reportedly underway to determine whether the product sample was linked to the outbreak.
As of July 25, 2024, 34 sick people have been identified in 13 states. This includes 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. Specimens were collected from sick people from May 29, 2024, to July 12, 2024.
The FSIS said anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care professional.
Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and seizures sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
More information about the recall can be found on the FSIS website here.
Copyright 2024 WFSB. All rights reserved.