Health department inspectors found dozens of disturbing violations inside the Boar's Head plant, including the presence of insects, pools of blood on the floor and mold growth in equipment, linked to a deadly nationwide Listeria outbreak.
Deli meat produced at a Boar's Head plant in Jarratt, Virginia, was recalled last month after officials identified it as the source of a listeria outbreak that has hospitalized 57 people and killed at least nine, according to the CDC.
The state with the most reported cases is New York, where 17 residents have been sickened by the tainted deli meat. Two people have died in South Carolina, and one each in New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee and New Mexico.
The company recalled more than 7 million pounds of prepared meat and poultry products, and the outbreak has spread to 18 states.
“We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on the affected families. Words cannot express our sympathy and deepest sorrow for those who have suffered loss and endured illness,” a Boar's Head spokesman said in a statement Thursday.
Customers and businesses should check refrigerators and stores for the presence of the recalled products and thoroughly clean any surfaces that have come into contact with meat.
In addition to the bacterial contamination, the Jarratt plant received 69 “non-conformance” records issued by inspectors in the past year, according to USDA records. CBS News obtains Through the Freedom of Information Act.
of Records released An investigation by the Food Safety and Inspection Service uncovered problematic conditions.
During a visit on February 21, inspectors noted a “foul odor” inside the fresh food receiving warehouse and “large amounts of blood in a puddle on the floor.”
A “black mold-like substance” was found throughout another refrigerator on Jan. 9 and on the outside of four steel barrels, along with an inch or two of meat, on June 1. Inspectors recorded seeing mold in various locations during a total of six visits.
On June 10, inspectors found “approximately 15 to 20 flies flying in and out of four pickle barrels left in the room.”
“Small gnat-like insects were observed crawling up the walls and flying around the room,” inspectors reported. “The walls of the room had large amounts of flesh stuck to them, discolored pink and orange, and sprayed with a denaturing agent.”
All operations at the Jarratt plant have been suspended since the recall in July and Boar's Head is working with food safety experts to determine the source and circumstances of the infection.
“Food safety is our absolute priority, as is the health and well-being of our consumers,” a company spokesperson said. “As a USDA-inspected food manufacturer, the agency sends inspectors to our Jarratt, Virginia, plant on a daily basis, and if at any time the inspectors identify an issue that needs to be addressed, our team responds immediately. This was the case for all of the issues raised by the USDA in this report.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
