Multistate listeria outbreak leads to Boar's Head recalls

The multistate listeria outbreak linked to deli meat has led to recalls of numerous Boar’s Head products, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pennsylvania is one of the now 13 states affected by the outbreak, the CDC said. As of Thursday, there have been three deaths and 43 people infected.

One person has been infected in Pennsylvania as of Thursday, according to the CDC’s map. Other states with people infected include: New York (14), Maryland (8), New Jersey (4), Massachusetts (3), Missouri (3), Virginia (3), Georgia (2), Illinois (1), Indiana (1), Minnesota (1), North Carolina (1) and Wisconsin (1).

Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat Liverwurst products produced between June 11 and July 17 — which have a 44-day shelf life — have been recalled, the CDC said. The products have sell by dates ranging from July 25 through Aug. 30.

The products also include “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst made in Virginia” and 3.5 pound loaves in plastic casing or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, according to the CDC.

Boar’s Head also recalled all of its deli products. The CDC said to look for “EST. 12612” or “P-12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the products’ labels.

More than seven million pounds of meat have been recalled over the listeria outbreak, CBS News reported, and New York City woman Rita Torres, of Queens, has filed a class action lawsuit against Boar’s Head, alleging “deceptive and misleading business practices.”

The people affected by the listeria outbreak range from 32 to 94 years, with a median age of 77, the CDC said.

Listeria, which can be especially harmful for those who are pregnant, 65 or older or who have a weakened immune system, can spread “easily” through deli equipment, surfaces, hands and food, according to the CDC. Those people should not eat deli meat, the CDC said, unless it is reheated.

Reheating deli meat to an internal temperature of 165°F or until steaming hot before eating will kill any potential germs, the CDC said, but refrigeration does not kill listeria.

The Washington Post said the first and most common symptoms of listeria infection are diarrhea and vomiting, which typically begin within 24 hours of eating the contaminated food and usually last one to three days.

As of Thursday, the CDC investigation into this listeria outbreak is still active.

“On behalf of all of us at Boar’s Head Brand, we want to let our customers and consumers know that we deeply regret that our liverwurst products were found to be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes,” Boars Head said in a statement posted on its website. “No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for the families that have suffered losses and others who endured illness.”