The Department of Agriculture announced this week that the listeria outbreak initiating at a Boar's Head meat processing plant in southern Virginia was the result of sanitation failures.
In September, Boar's Head closed its Jarratt, Virginia, plant and permanently discontinued production of liverwurst, the product that was linked to the deaths of at least 10 people and hospitalizations of about 60 others in 18 states. It was the largest listeria outbreak since 2011, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which declared the outbreak officially over in late November.
The USDA published a report Friday saying that inadequate sanitation was "a notably contributing factor" to last summer's outbreak, with the agency itself noting its own need to "enhance" its approach to handling future outbreaks.
"We continue to actively cooperate with the USDA and government regulatory agencies on matters related to last year's recall, and we thank them for their oversight," a Boar's Head spokesperson said in an email Friday, following the report's release. "With last year's outbreak declared over by the CDC, we are working ... to implement enhanced food safety programs across the company, including stronger food safety control procedures and more rigorous testing at our meat and poultry production facilities."
Prior to the September closing, inspectors found 69 instances of "noncompliance" at the Jarratt plant, including instances of mold; insects; liquid dripping from ceilings; and meat and fat residue on walls, floors, and equipment.
"Inspection personnel should consider whether repeated noncompliance findings collectively signal a broader systemic failure at an establishment," the report read.
It acknowledged inspectors "must have the ability and tools to recognize patterns and determine when multiple deficiencies suggest a systemic issue."
The company said it is appointing a new chief food safety officer, who will report to its president. It is also establishing a safety council comprised of independent experts, including Mindy Brashears, a former food safety chief at the USDA, and Frank Yiannas, a former deputy commissioner for food policy at the Food and Drug Administration.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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