Over the summer, a supermarket staple, Boar’s Head deli meat, was recalled. In more than a dozen states, people had fallen sick and been hospitalized because the processed food had Listeria, a foodborne disease.
At least 10 deaths have been linked to the outbreak from Boar’s Head’s facility in Virginia, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It’s the deadliest Listeria outbreak since 2011, when 33 people died from eating diseased cantaloupes from Colorado.
Before the recall, the federal government had documented problems at the facility over the course of a year — inspectors had found black mold and flies, according to The New York Times. The company announced it has closed the facility indefinitely. The wealthy family that owns the Boar’s Head brand has so far not commented on the scandal.
Beyond deli meat, Listeria has been detected on fruits, ice cream and cheese. In February, the CDC began investigating an outbreak linked to cheese products produced by California-based Rizo-López Foods, which led to two deaths. This month, the U.S. Department of Justice blocked the company’s production.
