Sen. Richard Blumenthal called for a criminal investigation of Boar’s Head for its role in a deadly listeria outbreak that has killed 10 people nationwide and hospitalized dozens more.
“These deaths, injuries, sicknesses were fully preventable, absolutely appalling and abhorrent, and they were the result of unsanitary, unsafe conditions that involved repeated violations of federal safety standards,” Blumenthal said at a news conference in Hartford on Friday morning. “The violations of standards here were repeated, reckless, and seemingly willful, and that’s why I think there ought to be a criminal investigation and potential action against Boar’s head.”
The outbreak was linked to liverwurst produced at a now-shuttered facility near the town of Jarratt, Virginia. Boar’s head ultimately recalled more than 7 million pounds of product that was produced there. The outbreak has killed 10 people and hospitalized 57 so far, but CDC officials warn that the number of deaths could go even higher as it can take up to 10 weeks for listeria symptoms to present.
According to documents from the USDA, the Jarratt plant had dozens of safety violations, including “major deficiencies” with the plant’s physical conditions such as rusty equipment, peeling and flaking paint, loose caulk, holes in walls, product residue on surfaces and dripping condensation that posed an “imminent threat.” There were also instances of other violations including insects, mold, “blood in puddles on the floor” and a “rancid smell in the cooler.”
Boar’s Head announced that it will indefinitely close the Jarratt production facility.
“First and foremost, our investigation has identified the root cause of the contamination as a specific production process that only existed at the Jarratt facility and was used only for liverwurst. With this discovery, we have decided to permanently discontinue liverwurst,” the company said in its statement.
Blumenthal said there was no excuse or explanation for the conditions in the plant where the outbreak occurred.
“The kinds of failings here are simply inexplicable, and they go to the core responsibilities of any food company to maintain basic standards of cleanliness, safety, sanitation, and Boar’s Head had seemingly not only turned a blind eye, but also knew about it and failed to correct these kinds of conditions,” he said.
A whistleblower named Terrence Boyce, who was hired to correct deficiencies at the plant found by a food safety audit by federal regulators in 2023, said that he was fired after he brought the unsafe conditions to the attention of his superiors. Blumenthal said during the press conference that firing the whistleblower is “absolutely relevant evidence of criminal willfulness.”
He continued: “If there are individual instances of culpability, there should be potential prison, and if there is any kind of agreement with the government as a result of criminal investigation, it ought to involve independent audits going forward, objective independent inspections.”
On Thursday, Blumenthal and US Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District, sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Thomas J. Vilsack, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. In the letter, they took aim at the USDA for failing to prevent the listeria outbreak in the first place.
“It is painfully clear that by choosing not to aggressively ensure that safety standards were being followed, the USDA failed to uphold its congressional mandate,” the letter said. “The agency allowed Boar’s Head to put profits over people by producing what its fiduciaries surely knew were products that were at a high risk of adulteration due to the horrific conditions at the Jarratt plant. Years of inadequate response have led to safety conditions within the plant that are impossible to remedy easily, and as a result, Boar’s Head recently decided to indefinitely shut down the plant, potentially leaving hundreds of workers in a small town unemployed.”
Dr. Manisha Juthani, Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, cautioned Connecticut’s residents to be on the lookout for listeria symptoms.
“Pregnant people, those over the age of 65, and those that have a weakened immune system are particularly susceptible to listeria,” Juthani said. “While most people experience no symptoms at all, some may experience milder symptoms like fever, flu-like symptoms or gastrointestinal issues like vomiting or diarrhea. More concerning symptoms include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, confusion, or sensitivity to light. If you experience any of these symptoms, and you think you may have consumed the recalled product, please contact your medical provider.”
As of Aug. 5, there had been no reported cases of listeria linked to the recent outbreak.