Table of contents
- Latest Arizona Boar’s Head Recall Updates
- February 5, 2026: Jarratt Plant Resumes Limited Operations
- November 7, 2025: Schnucks Sues Boar’s Head
- April 10, 2025: Class Action Settlement Reported
- January 10, 2025: USDA Report Finds Inadequate Sanitation
- December 13, 2024: First Wrongful Death Case Settles
- November 21, 2024: CDC Declares the Outbreak Over
- October 23, 2024: Wrongful Death Suit Filed in Florida Case
- September 6, 2024: Lawsuits Mount Against Boar’s Head
- July 30, 2024: Recall Expands to 71 Products
- July 26, 2024: Boar’s Head Announces First Recall
- Which Arizona Boar’s Head Are Affected?
- Why Was Arizona Boar’s Head Recalled?
- Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
- What Should Consumers Do?
- Legal Options
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Boar’s Head Safe to Eat Now?
- What Are the Symptoms of Listeria?
- What Is Listeria?
- Did Inspectors Find Listeria at the Jarratt Plant?
- Was Recalled Boar’s Head Meat Sold Outside the United States?
Boar’s Head recalled about 7 million pounds of ready-to-eat deli meat in July 2024 after a listeria outbreak. The expanded recall covers 71 products made at its Jarratt, Virginia plant.
The CDC counted 61 illnesses in 19 states, 60 hospitalizations and 10 deaths before it declared the outbreak over in November 2024. The meat was sold nationwide, and no Arizona illness or death is reported.
The recalled products have passed their shelf life. Do not eat any that remain. Class action settlements and wrongful death suits followed.
Latest Arizona Boar’s Head Recall Updates
February 5, 2026: Jarratt Plant Resumes Limited Operations
The Associated Press reported that the Jarratt, Virginia plant of Boar’s Head resumed limited operations, nearly 17 months after it was shut down [1].
The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that the federal inspectors required for operation are on site. The plant restarted on Monday, February 2.
November 7, 2025: Schnucks Sues Boar’s Head
First Alert 4 (KMOV) reported that the grocer Schnucks sued Boar’s Head, its former deli meat provider, over the 2024 outbreak [2].
Schnucks claims the outbreak cost it $1.5 million in losses. It is seeking a trial and at least $25,000 in damages. These claims are allegations, not findings by a court.
April 10, 2025: Class Action Settlement Reported
MEAT+POULTRY reported that Boar’s Head Provisions Co. agreed to pay $3.1 million in the Pompilio class action settlement in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York [3].
Boar’s Head admitted no wrongdoing. The settlement pays buyers of certain Boar’s Head meat products who bought them for personal use.
January 10, 2025: USDA Report Finds Inadequate Sanitation
NPR reported that the Food Safety and Inspection Service released a report. It found that “inadequate sanitation practices” at the Jarratt plant helped cause the outbreak [4].
The report said the outbreak lasted from July through November 2024. NPR described it as the largest listeria outbreak since 2011.
December 13, 2024: First Wrongful Death Case Settles
A law firm press release announced that Boar’s Head settled the first wrongful death lawsuit from the outbreak. It was brought for the family of Gunter Morgenstein [5]. The terms are confidential, so the amount is not public.
November 21, 2024: CDC Declares the Outbreak Over
USA Today reported that the CDC declared the Boar’s Head listeria outbreak over in its final update, issued on Thursday, November 21 [6].
October 23, 2024: Wrongful Death Suit Filed in Florida Case
ABC News reported that the family of Otis Adams Jr., 79, of the Tampa area, filed a wrongful death lawsuit [7].
The suit alleges he died on May 5, 2024 after eating Boar’s Head ham. The filing firm said it was the first suit alleging a death from something other than liverwurst.
September 6, 2024: Lawsuits Mount Against Boar’s Head
CBS News reported that Boar’s Head faced at least seven lawsuits [8]. The suits involve claims of personal injury, wrongful death and deceptive marketing.
One suit was filed for Gunter Morgenstein, who died on July 18, 2024 at age 88. The suit alleges liverwurst caused his infection.
July 30, 2024: Recall Expands to 71 Products
The Agriculture Department and Boar’s Head announced that they were expanding the recall by 7 million pounds, according to NPR [9].
The expansion covers 71 products made between May 10 and July 29, 2024 under the Boar’s Head and Old Country brands. It reaches every item the company produced at the Jarratt facility.
July 26, 2024: Boar’s Head Announces First Recall
Boar’s Head announced its first recall, of more than 200,000 pounds of sliced deli poultry and meat, including all liverwurst. The recall covered products from the same Jarratt plant.
According to USA Today, the CDC reported the outbreak on July 19, 2024. The company’s recall followed one week later, on July 26.
Which Arizona Boar’s Head Are Affected?
The recall covers ready-to-eat meat and poultry made by Boar’s Head Provisions Co. Affected items include:
- 71 products sold under two brands, Boar’s Head and Old Country
- Products made at the Jarratt, Virginia plant from May 10, 2024 to July 29, 2024
- Liverwurst, ham, beef salami and bologna, among other products
- Meat sliced at deli counters and some packaged products sold in stores
No lot or package codes and no recall number were published. The meat went to stores nationwide. No recall order applies to Arizona alone, so check any Boar’s Head deli meat you bought in 2024.
Why Was Arizona Boar’s Head Recalled?
Boar’s Head recalled the products because a liverwurst sample from Maryland tested positive for listeria. Health officials collected the sample. Testing showed the bacteria matched the strain making people ill.
The FSIS report said the Jarratt plant had “inadequate sanitation practices.” It found meat and fat residue from the previous day’s production on equipment.
The report also found condensation dripping “on exposed product.” Floors had “cracks, holes and broken flooring that could hold moisture.”
Inspection records released under the Freedom of Information Act showed 69 instances of “noncompliance” at the plant between August 1, 2023 and August 2, 2024 [10]. The problems included mold, insects and liquid dripping from ceilings.
Reported Incidents, Injuries, or Illnesses
The CDC counts in its final update are national. USA Today noted that the true number of illnesses was likely higher. These reports do not prove the meat caused every case.
Reported deaths occurred in Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina. Arizona is not among those states.
The CDC estimates that about 1,600 people get listeria food poisoning each year. About 260 of them die. People older than 65, pregnant women and people with weak immune systems face the most risk.
What Should Consumers Do?
Take these steps if you have any recalled Boar’s Head or Old Country product at home:
- Do not eat the recalled product.
- Discard it or return it to the store for a refund.
- Clean and sanitize your refrigerator to protect other foods.
- Watch for listeria symptoms, which can start within two weeks and up to two months after eating, per Mayo Clinic [11].
- Call a healthcare professional if you have a fever, muscle aches, upset stomach or loose stools after eating a recalled food.
- Get emergency care for a high fever, a very bad headache or a stiff neck.
- Call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 or report a problem with food on the FSIS website.
Legal Options
In the Pompilio settlement, eligible buyers could claim a full refund per recalled product with proof of purchase. Without proof, they could claim an average retail price for up to two products per household.
A separate class action over labeling told the court on November 15, 2024 that a settlement had been reached, on undisclosed terms.
A recall does not automatically make anyone liable or entitle anyone to claim. Read more on our Boar’s Head recall lawsuit page. A lawyer can review whether your situation fits a claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Boar’s Head Safe to Eat Now?
Boar’s Head is safe to eat now, says chief food safety officer Natalie Dyenson, because the Jarratt plant was rebuilt from the inside out. That is a company statement. AP also reported similar sanitation problems at its Petersburg, Virginia plant.
What Are the Symptoms of Listeria?
The symptoms of listeria in the gut are diarrhea, upset stomach and vomiting, often within a day. If it spreads to the blood or brain, symptoms include fever, chills, muscle aches, fatigue, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures.
What Is Listeria?
Listeria is a group of bacteria that can contaminate many foods, according to the CDC. A listeria infection is rare but serious. In this outbreak, the bacteria were found in Boar’s Head liverwurst.
Did Inspectors Find Listeria at the Jarratt Plant?
Inspectors did not report confirmed listeria in the Jarratt factory. VPM reported that the plant’s inspection documents had no test results confirming listeria. The outbreak link came from a liverwurst sample from Maryland.
Was Recalled Boar’s Head Meat Sold Outside the United States?
Recalled Boar’s Head meat was sold outside the United States too. Besides stores nationwide, it went to the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Panama. It is not stated whether any reached Arizona.