January 13, 2025
Posted by: OFT Food Safety & Injury Lawyers
In an unprecedented report, USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service published a scathing report outlining numerous food safety violations at Boar’s Head that USDA says resulted in the 2024 multistate Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meat.
The Report’s notable “contributing factors” to the outbreak included inadequate sanitation practices resulting in conditions ripe for Listeria contamination:
Inspectors identified the presence of meat and fat residue from the previous day’s production on equipment, including packaging equipment and in the RTE processing area during preoperational sanitation checks. Residue can provide a substrate for Lm to survive and grow in the food processing environment and form biofilms, which can become more resistant to cleaning regimens. Biofilms are thin layers of bacteria that can form on equipment and other surfaces (similar to plaque on teeth). Once biofilms form, they must be removed by scrubbing or other mechanical action.
Inspectors identified multiple instances of condensation in the RTE environment (e.g., dripping condensate on exposed product and a fan blowing condensate directly on products).
Inspectors observed facility and structural-related issues (e.g., cracks, holes and broken flooring) that could hold moisture and contribute to wet conditions. Additional conditions documented included rust, beaded condensation and peeling caulk.
The full report is available here.
