Boar’s Head plant posed an ‘imminent threat’ years before listeria outbreak

Inspectors discovered rusted equipment, condensation dripping on the floor and green mold on the wall two years before a deadly nationwide listeria outbreak.


This sign marks the entrance of the Boar's Head processing plant in Jarrat, Va., that was tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak. (Steve Helber/AP)

By Rachel Roubein
September 10, 2024 at 7:51 p.m. EDT

Inspectors warned that a Boar’s Head plant in southern Virginia had “major deficiencies” that could pose an “imminent threat” to food safety after discovering rusted equipment, condensation dripping on the floor and green mold on the wall nearly two years before a deadly nationwide listeria outbreak, according to government inspection reports released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

But despite repeated violations, the plant continued to operate until July.
“The establishment failed to meet the regulatory requirements,” according to a noncompliance report, noting that plant management was “notified to take the necessary corrective actions.”

Between Sept. 27 and Oct. 4, 2022, inspectors detailed food residue on the floor of the liverwurst room, live beetles in a hallway and thick product buildup on equipment, among other violations. “Dirt, screws and trash were observed on the floor of the production area,” the document said.

Deli meat produced at the Jarratt, Va., plant between May 10 and July 29 is believed to be responsible for the deaths of nine people and the hospitalization of dozens of others in the nation’s largest listeriosis outbreak since 2011. Boar’s Head issued a recall of more than 70 products produced during that time, such as ham, bologna and bacon, according to the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Food safety experts say the pattern of violations reflect a failed food safety system and have questioned why the plant was not closed sooner.

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By Rachel Roubein
Rachel Roubein is a national health-care reporter for The Washington Post covering the Food and Drug Administrationfollow on X @rachel_roubein