This article has been updated to correct a spelling error.

Boar’s Head liverwurst will no longer be available for sale or consumption, as per the company’s announcement.

The firm declared the decision to “permanently discontinue” the meat product last Friday, several months after an ongoing listeria outbreak was linked to a specific method used in its production, leading to 57 hospitalizations across 18 states, and nine fatalities reported by late August, according to YSL News.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) was alerted about the outbreak on July 19 and issued a recall of 207,528 pounds of Boar’s Head liverwurst a week later.

On July 30, Boar’s Head decided to broaden the recall to encompass all products produced at the facility where the liverwurst was made, resulting in a total of 7.2 million pounds of recalled items, as reported by YSL News.

Boar’s Head identified the “root cause” of the contamination as a specific production process exclusive to the Jarratt facility, solely used for liverwurst.

“Given this finding, we have opted to permanently discontinue liverwurst,” the company stated.

This recent announcement is one of several made since the outbreak was identified in July, leading to a wide-ranging investigation by multiple agencies, several lawsuits, and calls for a congressional inquiry, as reported by YSL News.

Boar’s Head announces shutdown of Virginia facility

Boar’s Head also made the challenging choice to close the Virginia plant that produced the liverwurst for an undetermined period, which affects around 500 union workers along with other managerial staff, as reported by YSL News.

“We regret the effect this has on the lives of many dedicated employees. We understand our role as one of the area’s largest employers,” Boar’s Head remarked. “However, under these circumstances, we believe a plant closure is the most sensible step. We will aid each of our employees during the transition.”

Problems at the facility, including reports of mold, insects, water leaks, and other unsanitary conditions, had been noted since at least 2021, according to YSL News.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a suspension notice for the facility in July, stating that it “failed to maintain sanitary conditions” and produced a product contaminated with (Listeria monocytogenes) associated with the ongoing outbreak.

Boar’s Head “offered no excuses” in response to the inspection findings and noncompliance notices from the Jarratt plant.

Boar’s Head aims to use this ‘dark moment’ to improve

Recognizing this as a “dark moment” in its history, Boar’s Head plans to use this situation as a chance to strengthen food safety measures not only for themselves but for the whole industry.

The company intends to “immediately implement” enhanced food safety and quality protocols to avert future incidents, which include:

• Appointing a new Chief Food Safety & Quality Assurance Officer
• Establishing a “Boar’s Head Food Safety Council” with independent experts in food safety
• Developing a comprehensive food safety and quality assurance program across the company

Boar’s Head is “committed” to both its customers and the safety and quality of its products.

“You have our assurance that we will work diligently to earn back your trust and ensure all Boar’s Head products consistently meet the high standards you expect and deserve. We are dedicated to learning from this experience and coming out stronger,” the company expressed.

Contributing: Mike Snider