NEW YORK — U.S. health officials on Friday announced a recall of some Boar’s Head liverwurst and deli meats as they investigate a listeria outbreak which sickened almost three dozen people and caused two deaths.
Boar’s Head Provisions Co. has recalled liver sausage because it may be contaminated with listeria bacteria, the US Department of Agriculture he said. The agency said a sample of Boar’s Head liverwurst from a Maryland store tested positive for listeria.
The company is also recalling sliced meats made the same day on the same line as the contaminated liverwurst at a plant in Virginia, the USDA said. The sample came from an unopened package collected by health authorities as part of an investigation into the listeria outbreak.
Tests are underway to determine whether the liver sausage sample is linked to the outbreak, health officials said.
The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
The listeria outbreak was first reported last week. Since the end of May, 34 people have fallen ill in 13 states, with all but one hospitalized. Two people died – in Illinois and New Jersey. It can take weeks for symptoms to develop, so there could be more cases, officials said.
People most commonly reported eating sliced turkey, liverwurst and ham, officials said.
Listeria can contaminate food and make people who eat it sick. Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, nausea and diarrhea. It can be treated with antibiotics, but is especially dangerous for pregnant women, newborns, the elderly, and people with compromised immune systems.
An estimated 1,600 people contract listeria food poisoning each year and about 260 die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Boar’s Head recall of more than 200,000 pounds shipped nationwide applies to deli-sliced meats, not pre-packaged meats. Includes a series of multi-pound packages stamped with an expiration date of August 10, including mortadella, garlic mortadella, beef mortadella, beef salami, Cappy Italian ham and Cappy Italian extra hot ham. Also included is Steakhouse Roasted Bacon Heat and Eat, with an expiration date of August 15th.
Consumers who may still have the recalled meats should not eat them, and authorities said they should thoroughly clean their refrigerators to avoid contaminating other foods.
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