Congress Urged to Investigate Boar's Head Deli Meat Listeria Outbreak

Food safety attorney Bill Marler calls for a Congressional investigation into Boar's Head following severe listeria contamination.

Nine deaths and at least 57 hospitalizations have been reported in 18 states as a result of a significant listeria outbreak connected to Boar's Head deli meats. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has come under attack from food safety lawyer Bill Marler for conducting insufficient inspections at the company's Jarratt, Virginia plant. Marler cited the presence of mold, mildew, and insects in the inspection reports, calling them the worst he's ever seen. In order to resolve the matter, he demands congressional hearings and queries FSIS's role in permitting such circumstances to continue.

According to the CDC's research, listeria was present in meats, including Boar's Head liverwurst. Because of the long incubation period of the disease, further infections may surface. Seven million pounds of products from the impacted facility have been recalled by the corporation, but the situation is still grave.

Marler has spoken on behalf of the impacted families for a thorough inquiry into the origins of the disease and the function of government inspectors. Numerous noncompliance at the factory were recorded by the FSIS, underscoring the urgent need for improved oversight.