Processed meat should be eaten in moderation—but a couple meat roll-ups with cheese can be a great high-protein lunch; and sometimes, a good-old-days kind of sandwich just hits the spot. Just as back-to-school season gets close, one of the most recognizable deli meat brands in the country has announced a recall of nine products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. 

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According to a July 26 press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Boar’s Head Provisions Co. is recalling 207,528 pounds of ready-to-eat meat products. Boar’s Head sells delicatessen meats and cheeses in the delis of many supermarket chains and convenience stores across the country.

Federal officials with FSIS are currently working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to investigate an outbreak of Listeria infections across several states. According to the FSIS, the outbreak is likely linked to meats sliced at delis. As of July 25, 34 people have been infected in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and 2 deaths.

According to the FSIS press release, all liverwurst products currently being sold by Boar’s Head could be contaminated with Listeria. The company is recalling other products produced on the same line and on the same day as the liverwurst products because they may have also been affected.

The recalled products include:

  • “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA” sold in 3.5-lb. loaves in plastic casing, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head VIRGINIA HAM OLD FASHIONED HAM” sold in 9.5-lb. and 4.5-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE HAM” sold in 4-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head EXTRA HOT ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE HAM” sold in 6-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head BOLOGNA” sold in 4-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head BEEF SALAMI” sold in 2.5-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head STEAKHOUSE ROASTED BACON HEAT & EAT” sold in 5.5-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head GARLIC BOLOGNA” sold in 3-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.
  • “Boar’s Head BEEF BOLOGNA” sold in 3-lb. packages or various weight packages sliced in retail delis.

The liverwurst products were produced between June 11, 2024, and July 17, 2024, and have a 44-day shelf life. The sell-by dates are printed on the side of the packaging and range from July 25, 2024, to Aug. 30, 2024.

The other products were produced on June 27, 2024, and have a sell-by date of August 10 printed on the packaging.

Product labels of all affected products are available here.

FSIS reports that these products could be in consumers’ refrigerators or in retail deli cases. If you’ve purchased any of the recalled products, they should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. FSIS also recommends cleaning your refrigerator thoroughly after removing any of the products to “prevent the risk of cross-contamination.”

The agency also had a warning for sellers, advising retail delis to “clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli.”

This has been categorized as a Class I Recall, which, according to the FDA, means this is “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

What Each FDA Recall Classification Means
Class I Recall “A situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”
Class II Recall “A situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote.”
Class III Recall “A situation in which use of, or exposure to, a violative product is not likely to cause adverse health consequences.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, eating food contaminated with Listeria can cause fever, chills, headache, nausea, diarrhea, convulsions and more. It can also be life-threatening for people who are 65 years or older, people who are pregnant or people with compromised immune systems. If you are experiencing potential symptoms, be sure to talk to your doctor immediately.

Originally Published: July 26, 2024

Author
Miranda Manier
Miranda is the Associate Editor for TheHealthy.com and The Healthy section of Reader's Digest magazine, and has two years of experience covering the latest in health, wellness, fitness and nutrition, and interviewing leaders in culture and sports about their healthy lifestyle habits.    Previously, Miranda was a producer at WNIT, the PBS af...
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Miranda Manier