By LONG ISLAND, NY — After a brief closure Friday for cleaning following a Boar’s Head cold cuts recall, Stop & Shop delis are open again.
“All Stop & Shop delis have now reopened and have completed the process of deep cleaning equipment and removing all impacted products from the Boar’s Head recall,” a Stop & Shop media representative told Patch. “Out of an abundance of caution, Stop & Shop made the decision to temporarily close our delis today to conduct this cleaning and product removal. Ensuring the safety of the products we sell is our highest priority, and our deli associates are ready to serve our communities. “
Boar’s Head recalled several deli meats for possible listeria contamination that could be linked to a multi-state outbreak that left two people dead and sickened nearly three dozen others.
In a notice released by the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Boar’s Head Provisions Co. recalled all liverwurst products and several types of deli meats after a sample tested positive for L. monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listeriosis.
The recall includes 207,528 pounds of products that were shipped to retail locations nationwide, the notice said.
CDC data last updated on July 19 shows patients were from 12 states including Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland and beyond. Deaths were reported in New Jersey and the other in Illinois.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” health officials said in a news release. “This is because some people recover without medical care and are not tested for Listeria. In addition, recent illnesses may not yet be reported, as it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
An analysis showed people sickened in the outbreak were more likely to have eaten deli-sliced turkey and liverwurst.
In 2022, another listeria outbreak that officials believed was linked to deli meat and cheese sickened at least two people in Illinois and killed a Maryland resident.
Eating food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems. People outside these risk groups are less affected.
Symptoms of listeriosis include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance, and convulsions, and are sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms.
With reporting by Megan VerHelst.
