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RTD INVESTIGATION

How a Virginia meat plant became the center of a national listeria outbreak

DAVE RESS Richmond Times-Dispatch
Sep 9, 2024
Sep 9, 2024 Updated Mar 5, 2025
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8 min to read

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Virginia state inspectors found three recent violations of food safety rules at the cook tank where Boar’s Head Provision workers in Jarratt made liverwurst — the product linked to an outbreak of listeria infection that’s killed nine people, a Richmond Times-Dispatch investigation found.

Boar's Head plant

Ben Chapman — Chapman
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Lynn Knipe — Knipe
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5 things to know about Boar's Head deli meats linked to a deadly listeria outbreak

What should I do if I have the recalled deli meats?

What should I do if I have the recalled deli meats? — Many of the products recalled by Boar's Head are meats meant to be sliced at grocery store deli counters, though some prepackaged meats are included in the recall.
They include liverwurst, ham, beef salami, bologna and other products made at the company's Jarratt, Virginia, plant. The recalled meats carry the plant's number — EST.12612 or P-12612 — inside the USDA mark on the label. The meat was distributed to stores nationwide, as well as to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama.
Consumers should not eat the recalled meats and should discard them or return them to the store for a refund.
PHOTO BY DAVID NEAL, VIA MCT

Does cooking kill listeria?

Does cooking kill listeria? — Listeria can survive and grow in food even when it's refrigerated, but the bacteria can be killed by heating foods to “steaming hot,” or 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 degrees Celsius), the CDC says. People who are most at risk for illness should avoid the products or heat them before eating.
Most deli meats, however, are eaten cold. Because listeria can survive under refrigeration, it’s important to clean and sanitize any surfaces, including refrigerator drawers and shelves, that may have come in contact with the products, the CDC says.
PHOTO BY JESSICA MCGOWAN, GETTY IMAGES

Where it the Virginia plant?

Where it the Virginia plant? — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the products were made at the Boar's Head Provisions Inc. plant in Jarratt.
The community is in Greensville and Sussex counties south of Richmond.
The Sarasota, Florida-based company also operates a facility in Petersburg, which it purchased in 1999.
Other operations are in Brooklyn, New York; Forrest City, Arkansas; New Castle, Indiana; Edison, New Jersey; Holland, Michigan; and Columbus, Ohio.
PHOTO BY RON HURTIBISE, SOUTH FLORIDA SUN

Dave Ress (804) 649-6948

dress@timesdispatch.com