An additional six people have died as the toll from contamination at a single Boar’s Head plant becomes the worst listeria outbreak since 2011. Listeria is a bacterial, food-borne illness.
MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
We’re in the middle of the worst listeria outbreak since 2011.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
Yeah, nine people have died from this foodborne bacteria, and more have gotten sick or been hospitalized, all of which stems from contamination traced to a boar’s head factory that recalled millions of pounds of deli meats.
MARTIN: Joining us to tell us more about this is NPR consumer health correspondent Yuki Noguchi. Yuki, welcome. Thanks for joining us.
YUKI NOGUCHI, BYLINE: Thank you.
MARTIN: So some of these products that were already recalled earlier this month were made back in June or early July. So why are we still seeing this get worse?
NOGUCHI: Yeah, several reasons. The products themselves have long shelf lives. You know, they might still be in people’s refrigerators. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says some of the recalled meats have sell-by dates into October. Also, as we mentioned, it’s a massive amount of potentially infected meat, you know, over 7 million pounds. Barbara Kowalcyk is at George Washington University. She directs the Institute for Food Safety and Nutrition Security there.
BARBARA KOWALCYK: The size of the recall is also concerning because it suggests that there was an ongoing problem. And we’re still seeing cases.
NOGUCHI: Also, the incubation period for listeria is long, meaning it can take up to 10 weeks for someone who ate the bad meat to get sick in some cases. So that’s why we’re seeing hospitalization still increasing and now at about 57 patients.
MARTIN: So how can this be contained?
NOGUCHI: You know, it’s difficult because listeria is hard to get rid of and spreads really easily. You know, just think about the specifics of this case. The original contamination has been traced back to a liverwurst product made at a Boar’s Head factory in Jarratt, Va. But that factory also made 70 other meat products that process through some of the same machines. Then those were sent to groceries in every corner of the country. And, in fact, the recent deaths have been in New York, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico, you know, very, very widespread. And once it’s in those communities, it can spread through hands or countertops or meat slicers themselves or within people’s refrigerators.
MARTIN: So as you mentioned, some of these products are probably still around, meaning this outbreak could continue to sicken people for months. So what should people do?
NOGUCHI: You know, first, check your refrigerator. You’re looking for a specific number, 12612, on the inspection label. And that information is also on the CDC’s food safety recall list. If your food was recalled, then clean your refrigerator, you know, kitchen countertops, anything that might have come into contact with it. But if you’re pregnant or over age 65, then the precautions are stronger. Avoid even eating the deli meats at all. You know, don’t buy items at groceries where those meats have been handled.
MARTIN: Okay, I’m going to say that again. A specific number – 12612 on the inspection label. That’s important.
NOGUCHI: That’s right.
MARTIN: OK. So finally, what are some of the symptoms that people could be watching for?
NOGUCHI: Well, fever, aching muscles, tiredness that can turn into stiff neck and seizures. For severe cases, the treatment will be antibiotics.
MARTIN: OK. That is NPR’s Yuki Noguchi. Yuki, thank you so much.
NOGUCHI: Thank you.
Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.