The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising consumers that Boar's Head is expanding its July 26, 2024, recall of deli meat products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes. Boar's Head is recalling approximately 7 million additional pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products.

This expansion includes 71 products produced between May 10, 2024, and July 29, 2024 under the Boar's Head and Old Country brand names. These items include meat intended for slicing at retail delis as well as some packaged meat and poultry products sold at retail locations. These products have "sell by" dates ranging from 29-JUL-2024 through 17-OCT-24. (See link for labels below.)

Given that a large Listeria outbreak is currently being investigated, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that higher-risk people not eat deli meats sliced at deli counters unless those products are reheated to an internal temperature of 165F or until steaming hot. Higher-risk populations include pregnant people, people who are aged 65 or older, and people who have weakened immune systems. (This recommendation is in addition to not eating the recalled Boar's Head products.)

The products subject to the Boar's Head recall were distributed to retail locations nationwide. The products shipped to retailers bear establishment number "EST. 12612" or "P-12612" inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.

The problem was discovered when the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) was notified that a liverwurst sample collected by the Maryland Department of Health tested positive for L. monocytogenes. The Maryland Department of Health, in collaboration with the Baltimore City Health Department, collected an unopened liverwurst product from a retail store for testing as part of an outbreak investigation of L. monocytogenes infections. Further testing determined the product sample tested positive for the outbreak strain. Anyone concerned about illness should contact a healthcare provider.

FSIS is working with CDC and state public health partners to investigate the multistate outbreak of L. monocytogenes infections linked to meats sliced at delis. As of July 30, 2024, 34 sick people have been identified in 13 states, including 33 hospitalizations and two deaths. Samples were collected from sick people from May 29, 2024, to July 12, 2024. The investigation is ongoing, and FSIS continues to work with the CDC and state partners. The CDC Food Safety Alert, Listeria Outbreak Linked to Meats Sliced at Delis, will continue to be updated with the latest investigation details.

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In people who are pregnant, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the healthcare professional about eating the contaminated food.

Some products may be in consumers' refrigerators and in retail deli cases. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and retailers are urged not to sell these products with the referenced sell-by dates. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase. Consumers who have purchased these products are also urged to clean refrigerators thoroughly to prevent the risk of cross-contamination.

FSIS recommends retail delis clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli. Retailers may refer to FSIS' guideline, Best Practices Guidance for Controlling Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Delicatessens, for information on steps to prevent certain ready-to-eat foods that are prepared or sliced in retail delis and consumed in the home, such as deli meats and deli salads, from becoming contaminated with L. monocytogenes.