This story by Coral Beach first appeared in Food Safety News and is reposted here with permission.

Calling it a corporate dodge, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro has released a response that Boar’s Head provided to questions she sent the company in the wake of a deadly listeria outbreak.

The outbreak killed at least 10 people and sickened dozens. It was traced to deli meat from the Boar’s Head production facility in Jarret, VA. The company and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are under investigation because of the outbreak after two years of documented food safety violations at the plant.

DeLauro sent a letter to Boar’s Head in September demanding answers about the outbreak and the company’s practices. She revealed the response on Dec. 18, calling it a fluff piece.

“What I received (in response to my letter) was not a credible response; it was a classic corporate dodge,” the Connecticut Democrat said in a statement.

“They skirted almost every substantive question, from how they test for contaminants to their alarmingly vague plans to prevent another deadly outbreak. The American people will not be satisfied with marketing fluff or half-truths — they deserve straight answers. Honesty and accountability are essential to prevent another outbreak. 

“If Boar’s Head thinks it can brush this inquiry off and slip back to business as usual, they are wrong. I will not stop pushing until we know exactly what went wrong, how they fix it, and who will finally take responsibility. If they thought this flimsy, PR-driven response to a Congressional inquiry would get them off the hook, they were wrong. I expect a real, substantive response, and soon.” 

Boar’s Head failed to answer several questions raised by DeLauro in her Sept. 30 letter, including:

• There is no confirmation if they plan to reopen the Virginia plant at the center of the Listeria outbreak. 
• There is no clear commitment to improving the plant’s infrastructure or explanation of how Boar’s Head plans to prevent noncompliance in the future.
• No response on explaining their past food safety policies
• No reaction on why staff did not act sooner to address food safety concerns or how management will be held accountable
• No response on the frequency Boar’s Head conducted microbial testing
• No reaction on testing data as requested.
• There is no word if Boar’s Head tested non-contact food surfaces
• There is no response on whether third-party inspections were conducted before the recall
• No reaction on how HQ handled food safety concerns and
• Limited information on the documented steps of the recall.

The complete Boar’s Head response to DeLauro’s questions can be found here. 

DeLauro’s September 30 letters to Boar’s Head can be found here.

DeLauro is also trying to get answers about the Boar’s Head plant situation from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). She sent a letter to the agency requesting information on Sept. 30. The FSIS has not yet responded to DeLauro’s request for information.

Earlier this week, the FSIS announced key reforms that DeLauro had raised in her Sept. 30 letter to the agency. Notable changes include:

• FSIS added broader Listeria species testing to all samples of ready-to-eat products and environmental and food contact surfaces.
• FSIS is updating its instructions and training for food safety inspectors to equip the workforce to recognize and highlight systemic problems in a standardized way.
• FSIS field supervisors conduct in-person, follow-up visits when systemic issues are identified during a Food Safety Assessment.

“While I am grateful that FSIS has acknowledged how they fell short, and I await their response, I am not confident that Boar’s Head has done the same,” DeLauro said. “I look forward to the UDSA Office of Inspector General getting to the bottom of this, and I encourage UDSA and the U.S. Department of Justice to hold Boar’s Head accountable if they are liable.”

Interested in learning more about food safety and the history of foodborne disease outbreaks and investigations?

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