Insects and mould found at Boar’s Head factory linked to deadly listeriosis outbreak

U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors found dozens of violations at a Boar’s Head, Virginia, plant that are now linked to a nationwide recall of deli meats, according to new documents released by the department, including mold and insects found repeatedly throughout the facility.

Last month, Boar’s Head recalled all deli meats made at its Jarratt, Virginia, plant after a listeria outbreak was traced to products distributed from the site.

The outbreak has spread to 57 hospitalizations in 18 states due to recalled products from the plant. At least nine deaths have been reported, including two in South Carolina and one each in Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and New York.

“This is the largest listeriosis outbreak since the 2011 outbreak linked to cantaloupe,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

Authorities in several states discovered that samples of unopened products distributed by the Boar’s Head plant were contaminated with the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. Genetic sequencing linked the bacteria in the products to the strain causing the outbreak.

People are urged to recheck their refrigerators for recalled meats and clean any surfaces that may have touched them.

“Consumers who were unaware of the recall may have consumed the recalled products. People may also experience prolonged illness,” a South Carolina Department of Health spokesperson said in a statement following the new deaths.

Documents released by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service to CBS News under a Freedom of Information Act request list 69 records of “nonconformities” reported by the agency over the past year at the Jarratt plant.

It’s not yet clear whether Boar’s Head will be penalized by the USDA for these repeated problems. Reports released by the agency so far show no “enforcement actions” taken against the company in the past year. A USDA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In a statement, a Boar’s Head spokesperson said the company deeply regretted the impact of the recall and said food safety was its “top priority.”

“As a USDA-inspected food producer, the agency has inspectors at our Jarratt, Virginia, plant every day, and if at any time the inspectors identify something that needs to be addressed, our team does so immediately, as has been the case with every issue raised by USDA in this report,” said Elizabeth Ward, a company spokeswoman.

All operations have been suspended at the Jarratt plant, Ward said, and the company is working to sanitize the plant and retrain employees. No products will leave the plant “until they meet the highest quality and safety standards.”

“During this time, we have worked with the world’s leading food safety experts in the industry to conduct a rigorous investigation to shed light on the events that led to this recall,” Ward said.

Beyond issues such as paperwork failures and meat residue on equipment, records show inspectors repeatedly criticized Boar’s Head for mold growth around the company’s Jarratt facility.

In July, federal inspectors discovered what appeared to be mold around the hand-washing sinks of workers handling meat that was supposed to be ready to eat.

Mold was also found growing on the exterior of steel tanks used by the plant, as shown in previous records, as well as in storage coolers between the site’s smokehouses.

“A black mold-like substance was observed throughout the room where the wall meets the concrete. As well as caulking around the brick and metal,” they wrote in January, adding that some spots were “as large as a quarter.”

Other locations were identified as having a number of leak or pooling issues, including a pool containing “green algae growth” inside and condensation that was “dripping onto the contained product.”

After inspectors reported one of the leaks to the company, workers tried to plug them.

“The employee wiped down a third time and the leaks returned within 10 seconds,” inspectors wrote after a condensation problem was reported July 27 near fans that appeared to blow the liquid onto uncovered deli meats.

In addition to water, the USDA has accused the company of leaking other substances. In February, an inspector found “large amounts of blood in pools on the floor” and a “rancid odor” in a cooler used at the plant.

There have also been several reports of insect sightings in and around the plant’s meat processing areas, including one case that prompted the agency to tag more than 980 pounds of ham in a smokehouse aisle to be “held” for investigation.

In June, another report raised concerns about flies flying in and out of “pickle vats” left by Boar’s Head in a room.

“Small flying insects resembling gnats were observed crawling on the walls and flying around the room. The walls of the room were covered with a thick layer of meat,” they wrote.

Other parts of the facility were also found to be infested with insects, including what appeared to be “ants crawling down the wall,” as well as a beetle and a cockroach.