Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc. expanded its recall of deli meat that could be contaminated with listeria.
The company recalled an additional 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service said.
The FSIS categorized the recall as a Class I and “unfit for human consumption.” A Class I recall is considered high or medium risk. “This is a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”
The 71 products the company recalled were made between May 10 and July 29 and were sold under either the Boar’s Head or Old Country brands. They have sell-by dates between July 19 and Oct. 17.
The list of recalled items can be found here.
The items were distributed to stores across the country under establishment numbers EST. 12612 or P-12612 printed in the USDA mark of inspection.
The FSIS is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments to investigate a multi-state outbreak of listeria infections connected to sliced deli meats. As of July 30, 34 people were sickened in 13 states including Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia. That number included 33 hospitalizations and two deaths.
If you have the recalled meats, you’re told not to eat them and either throw them away or contact stores to return the items.
You should also clean your refrigerators and any surfaces that come in contact with the recalled products.
Listeria, according to the CDC, “is especially harmful to people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune system.”
Listeria symptoms include fever, muscle aches, tiredness, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance or seizures. Symptoms start within two weeks of eating listeria-contaminated food but can start the same day or as late as 10 weeks after, the CDC said.
If you have questions, you can call Boar’s Head at 800-352-6277.
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