Big Y, Stop & Shop temporarily close delis after Boar's Head recall

Big Y closed delis temporarily Friday after a Boar’s Head deli meat recall to destroy all potentially impacted products and to deep clean and sanitize the departments. Stop & Shop did the same but said they have completed the cleaning process and reopened their delis Friday evening.

Boar's Head is recalling more than 200,000 pounds of liverwurst and other deli meat products because they could be contaminated with listeria, which can cause potentially deadly infections in vulnerable populations, the FDA says.

Authorities say they are investigating whether the contamination may be linked to an ongoing listeria outbreak that has killed two people, one of them from New Jersey, and sickened dozens across 13 states, this year. As of July 25, the CDC was reporting a total of 34 illnesses related to the outbreak. All but one of those cases required hospitalization.

Big Y said the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service has recommended that retail delis clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli, Big Y said.

“We have stopped shipment into our stores on any products of concern at this time,” John Fraro, senior director of fresh foods at Big Y, said in a statement. “We are taking these steps out of an abundance of caution for our customers' safety. To make sure we are breaking the supply chain, we will also be disposing of all product that may have come in contact with the affected products. We will continue to be vigilant and take precautions to prevent future incidents,” he added.

Stop & Shop said it has temporarily closed its delis to clean them and remove any products. They expect that they will be open as of later Friday.

"As CDC/USDA continue to investigate certain deli meats for potential contamination, our supplier Boar’s Head has informed us that they are recalling certain deli meat products. Stop & Shop is in the process of removing all impacted products from sale. In an abundance of caution, because this product is sliced in store, we are also in the process of discarding all other open deli meats and cheeses that could have been sliced or prepared in the same area and doing a deep cleaning of the deli. As always, ensuring the safety of the products we sell is our highest priority," Stop & Shop said in a statement. 

What is being recalled

The ready-to-eat liverwurst products were produced between June 11 and July 17.

The following liverwurst products are subject to recall: 

•  3.5-lb. loaves in plastic casing, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst MADE IN VIRGINIA.” The products shipped to retailers have sell by dates ranging July 25, 2024, to Aug. 30, 2024, printed on the side of the packaging.

The other ready-to-eat deli meat products were produced on June 27, 2024. The following deli meat products are subject to recall:

• 9.5-lb. and 4.5-lb. full product, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head VIRGINIA HAM OLD FASHIONED HAM” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.

• 4-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE HAM” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.

• 6-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head EXTRA HOT ITALIAN CAPPY STYLE HAM” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.

• 4-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head BOLOGNA” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.

• 2.5-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head BEEF SALAMI” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.

• 5.5-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head STEAKHOUSE ROASTED BACON HEAT & EAT” with sell-by date “AUG 15” on the product packaging.

• 3-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head GARLIC BOLOGNA” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.
• 3-lb., or various weight packages sliced in retail delis, containing “Boar’s Head BEEF BOLOGNA” with sell-by date “AUG 10” on the product packaging.      

The products subject to recall were distributed to retail deli locations nationwide. The products shipped to deli retailers bear establishment number “EST. 12612” inside the USDA mark of inspection on the product labels.