Plant associated with Listeria outbreak in Virginia found with mold and insects, according to records
In a shocking turn of events, the Boar's Head deli meat plant in Jarratt, Virginia has been at the centre of a deadly listeria outbreak that claimed the lives of ten individuals and left dozens more hospitalised. The outbreak, which occurred last year, was caused by repeated violations of federal sanitation regulations at the plant.
According to reports, federal inspectors found numerous violations at the plant, including leftover meat residue on equipment, mold and mildew accumulation, the presence of insects inside and around the deli meats, blood puddles on the floor, and failure to maintain sanitary conditions. These violations led to the USDA suspending operations and withdrawing federal inspection marks in September 2024, resulting in the plant's shutdown and a recall of over 7 million pounds of deli products, including the permanent stop of liverwurst production.
However, despite claims that all issues had been rectified before reopening, evidence shows persistent sanitation problems at Boar's Head plants in multiple states. Reports obtained via the Freedom of Information Act reveal that sanitation problems continued to persist at the Virginia plant as recently as June 2025. These ongoing concerns have fuelled multiple lawsuits alleging the company knowingly sold contaminated products from a dilapidated and filthy plant.
The conditions described in the inspection reports were so severe that Bill Marler, a Seattle lawyer who has sued companies over food poisoning outbreaks, stated that they were the worst he's seen in three decades. Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University, expressed concern about the repeated violations of federal regulations at the Boar's Head deli meat plant.
Listeria infections are a significant public health concern, causing approximately 1,600 illnesses and about 260 deaths each year in the U.S., according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People older than 65, those who are pregnant, and those with weakened immune systems are most vulnerable to listeria infections.
In the past year, inspectors logged 69 instances of "noncompliance" with federal rules at the Boar's Head deli meat plant. Despite these violations, no enforcement actions against Boar's Head were found between January and March, the latest records available.
The plant has been inspected by Virginia officials through a partnership with the U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service. The conditions at the plant, as described in the inspection reports, are concerning due to repeated violations and the presence of listeria risk factors.
The Boar's Head deli meat plant remains closed until it can demonstrate it can produce safe product. The company has not yet commented on the ongoing legal and regulatory scrutiny it faces.
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/boars-head-deli-meat-plant-closed-after-listeria-linked-to-10-deaths/ [2] https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/boars-head-deli-meat-linked-listeria-outbreak-sickens-dozens-n1279786 [3] https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/09/boars-head-deli-meat-linked-to-listeria-outbreak-prompts-recall-of-7m-pounds-of-products/ [4] https://www.reuters.com/article/us-boars-head-deli-meat-recall-idUSKBN25O2N4
- Reports reveal that the Boar's Head deli meat plant, notorious for a listeria outbreak, continues to face sanitation concerns in the realm of health-and-wellness and food-and-drink, even as recent as June 2025.
- The ongoing violations of federal regulations at the Boar's Head deli meat plant are causing alarm in the general-news sector, particularly with regard to the safety of their food products.
- The shocking conditions reported at the Boar's Head deli meat plant in Jarratt, Virginia, pose a significant threat to public health, particularly among the elderly, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems – a matter of concern that falls under the umbrella of science and lifestyle.
