Sept. 11 (UPI) — The spread of listeria in the United States out of a Boars Head’s facility in Virginia which has killed several and hospitalized dozens, first showed an “imminent” threat two years before the outbreak, according to new records.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the deadly listeria outbreak that originated at a Boar’s Head facility in Jarratt, Va., and detailed scores of disturbing health violations during inspections dating as far back as 2022 until August. The plant is still at the center of a nationwide deli meat recall.
Two rounds of released documentation over a two-year period by USDA detail a number of health violations at Boar’s Head’s rural Virginia facility in that timeframe, including mold and condensation issues during inspections were reported with live beetles or insects in various places, dirt and trash with product buildup on rusted and dirty equipment and blood in puddles on the floor, the New York Times reported.
Yet, despite reports detailing the repeated violations and Boar’s Head’s acknowledgment, the 44-year-old Jarratt plant continued to operate. But a company spokesperson pointed out the inspector’s findings were not followed by any enforceable USDA actions.