New Jersey was one of several states where a person died and many others were infected with Listeria after eating Boar’s Head Deli Meat.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Boar’s Head cases in New Jersey. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Listeria from Boar’s Head Deli Meat, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
Boar’s Head Linked to 5 Illnesses, 1 Death in New Jersey
At least 5 people in New Jersey got Listeria from Boar’s Head Deli Meat, including 1 person who died. This outbreak is over, according to the CDC Outbreak Investigation.
How Many People Got Sick?
Health officials confirmed 61 cases in 19 states, including 10 people who died, but warned that the “true number of sick people in this outbreak was likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not have been limited to the states with known illnesses.”
What Happened?
In July 2024, Boar’s Head recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli meat due to a risk of Listeria contamination.
The deadly Listeria outbreak was linked to Boar’s Head Deli Meat that was produced between May and July 2024 at a facility in Virginia.
That facility shut down after inspectors found “inadequate sanitation practices,” including vermin, mold, and slime, and meat residues on processing equipment. Boar’s Head also stopped making liverwurst, which was a type of deli meat that Boar’s Head determined to be the “root cause of the contamination.”
New Jersey Boar’s Head Outbreak
The New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets found Listeria monocytogenes in an unopened package of Boar’s Head liverwurst. The strain was genetically matched to the one that caused the outbreak in New Jersey and other states nationwide.
Is There Still a Listeria Outbreak in New Jersey?
The outbreak linked to Boar’s Head deli meat is over, according to the CDC. Even when there are no ongoing outbreaks, deli meat is a high-risk food due to cross-contamination on equipment like meat slicers.
Why Is Listeria Such a Problem in Deli Meat?
Listeria is also an incredibly hardy germ, able to survive on food in the freezer and grow at refrigeration temperatures. Listeria can also form biofilms that protect it from sanitizers and cleaning methods, which makes it hard to eliminate from deli counters and manufacturing facilities once it is established.
Health Officials Warn High-Risk People About Deli Meat
Health officials warn against eating deli meat if you are pregnant, over 65 years old, or have a weakened immune system, unless the deli meat is heated to an internal temperature of 165ºF or steaming-hot.
Signs & Symptoms of Listeria
Infections with Listeria monocytogenes can spread in the body and invade the bloodstream or other parts of the body. The symptoms of an invasive illness usually start within 2 weeks after eating food that is contaminated with Listeria, but it can take up to 10 weeks.
The symptoms of an invasive infection with Listeria include:
- Fever
- Flu-like symptoms, such as muscle aches and fatigue
- Headache
- Stiff neck
- Confusion
- Loss of balance
- Seizures
- Pregnant women Amy have fever and flu-like symptoms, and suffer a miscarriage, stillbirth, premature birth, or infection of the newborn baby
Do I Have a New Jersey Boar’s Head Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting Boar’s Head cases in New Jersey. If you or somebody you know was diagnosed with Listeria from Boar’s Head Deli Meat, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Food Poisoning Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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