A view of a Boar's Head deli inside of a Safeway store on July 31, 2024 in San Anselmo, California. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The Boar's Head deli meat plant at the heart of last year's deadly food poisoning outbreak is set to reopen in the coming months, company officials said.
But recent inspections at Boar’s Head sites in three states documented sanitation problems similar to those that led to the listeria contamination that killed 10 people and sickened dozens.
RELATED: Boar's Head will close plant linked to listeria recall; will stop making liverwurst
The backstory:
The Jarratt, Virginia, plant was shut down in September when U.S. Agriculture Department officials suspended operations and withdrew the federal marks of inspection required to operate, saying the company "failed to maintain sanitary conditions." Boar’s Head permanently stopped making liverwurst and recalled more than 7 million pounds of deli products.
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The latest on the Boar's Head listeria outbreak
FROM THE ARCHIVES: A Boar’s Head deli meat plant in Virginia tied to a deadly food poisoning outbreak repeatedly violated federal regulations, including instances of mold, insects, liquid dripping from ceilings, and meat and fat residue on walls, floors and equipment, newly released records show. LiveNOW from FOX host Mike Pache spoke to Fox New's Nate Foy on the latest.
What they're saying:
USDA officials this week said they had "thoroughly reviewed" the plant and lifted the forced suspension on July 18.
RELATED: Listeria outbreak: 3rd death linked to Boar’s Head deli meat recall
"The facility is in full compliance of the guidelines and protocols set for the safe handling and production of food and the serious issues that led to suspension have been fully rectified," officials with the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service said in an email Wednesday.
Dig deeper:
And yet, documents obtained by The Associated Press through a freedom of information request show that Boar’s Head plants in Arkansas, Indiana and elsewhere in Virginia were flagged for the same kinds of sanitation problems that led to the outbreak, with the most recent report in June.
In the past seven months, government inspectors reported problems that include instances of meat and fat residue left on equipment and walls, drains blocked with meat products, beaded condensation on ceilings and floors, overflowing trash cans, and staff who didn’t wear protective hairnets and plastic aprons — or wash their hands.
The records, which included USDA noncompliance reports logged by inspectors from Jan. 1 through July 23, raise new questions about the company's promises to address systemic problems and about federal oversight of listeria contamination in plants that make ready-to-eat foods.
The company convened a panel of expert advisers last fall and hired a chief food safety officer in May. The advisers include Frank Yiannas, a former U.S. Food and Drug Administration official, and Mindy Brashears, President Donald Trump's nominee for USDA's undersecretary for food safety.
"Boar’s Head has an unwavering commitment to food safety and quality. That commitment is reflected in recent enhancements to our practices and protocols" described on the company's website, Boar's Head said in an emailed statement.
"We have also been working with the USDA in developing a plan to reopen our Jarratt facility in a measured, deliberate way in the coming months," the statement said.
Boar's Head last year said they "regret and deeply apologize" for the contamination and that "comprehensive measures are being implemented to prevent such an incident from ever happening again."
The Source: The Associated Press contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from official statements by Boar’s Head and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as well as internal government inspection records obtained by the Associated Press through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. This story was reported from Los Angeles.