Boar’s Head is implementing USDA’s “Alt 2” for Listeria control in the planned post-recall reopening of its Jarratt, Va., deli meat facility.
The plant has been closed since late July 2024, following a Listeria contamination recall linked to 10 deaths nationwide.
“As part of our standard practice, Boar’s Head works closely with all relevant federal and state agencies, including the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. We will continue to do so as we take deliberate steps to ensure the successful and safe reopening of the Jarratt facility, including through the verification period, which is by standard regulatory policy a minimum of 90 days,” the company said in a statement.
During the verification period, the company must collect in-plant data to demonstrate to FSIS that its HACCP system is effective in practice.
Boar’s Head announced on Aug. 8 that it is working to resume processing in the coming months at the Jarratt facility. The plant, which was previously under Talmadge-Aiken cooperative inspection by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, will now be under direct FSIS oversight, state and federal authorities confirmed.
“One of the most significant steps we have taken is implementing controls consistent with USDA’s Alternative 2 (Alt 2) Listeria control program across our entire ready-to-eat meat portfolio, including at the Jarratt facility,” the spokesperson said. “Alt 2 is a proven step that dramatically reduces foodborne pathogens and elevates Boar’s Head to a higher food safety standard.”
Alternative 2 uses either a post-lethality treatment (such as an antimicrobial agent or process) to reduce or eliminate microorganisms on products, or an antimicrobial process that suppresses or limits the growth of Listeria monocytogenes.
Over the past year, Boar’s Head says it has worked closely with regulators and voluntarily implemented a series of organization-wide initiatives to strengthen food safety. These include a full review and reinforcement of environmental monitoring programs, sanitation protocols, and employee training.
FSIS last month lifted its suspension of the Jarratt plant.
“Our dedication to food safety is unwavering, and we continuously invest in our processes and facilities to uphold standards of quality and safety for our consumers,” the spokesperson said.
