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Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head facility claims one victim in Tennessee

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Listeria outbreak linked to Boar’s Head facility claims one victim in Tennessee


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The effects of a listeria outbreak that began on July 19 have continued to grow and now include one death in Tennessee.

A total of 18 states have reported cases of listeria. There have been 57 hospitalizations as a result of the outbreak. The most recent update from the Centers for Disease Control included a single case and death in Tennessee among six other deaths.

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The outbreak has been tied to Boar’s Head liverwurst products. Of these products, 7.2 million pounds of deli meats have been recalled. There is a class-action suit was filed against the company in early August.

Here is what to know about the outbreak.

Is Tennessee part of the listeria outbreak?

Tennessee is now officially a part of the outbreak. The CDC announced there were six new deaths and 14 new cases from the outbreak. Of these deaths, one occurred in Tennessee.

South Carolina has the most deaths with two. There have been nine deaths in total from this outbreak. According to the CDC, this is the largest listeriosis outbreak since a 2011 outbreak linked to cantaloupe.

States affected by the outbreak are:

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  • Arizona: 1 case
  • Florida: 3 cases, 1 death
  • Georgia: 2 cases
  • Illinois: 1 case, 1 death
  • Indiana: 1 case
  • Maryland: 8 cases
  • Massachusetts: 3 cases
  • Minnesota: 1 case
  • Missouri: 3 cases
  • New Jersey: 5 cases, 1 death
  • New Mexico: 1 case, 1 death
  • New York: 17 cases, 1 death
  • North Carolina: 1 case
  • Pennsylvania: 2 cases
  • South Carolina: 2 cases, 2 deaths
  • Tennessee: 1 case, 1 death
  • Virginia: 4 cases, 1 death
  • Wisconsin: 1 case

What brands are involved in the listeria outbreak?

Products under recall will be under the brands Boar’s Head and Old Country labels. The recall was expanded on July 30 to include 71 total products that were produced between May 10 and July 29. Products will have sell by dates ranging from July 29 to Oct. 17, 2024.

The original list of recalled items included these Boar’s Head products.

  • Virginia Old Fashioned Ham with sell by date of Aug. 10.
  • Italian Cappy Style Ham with sell by date of Aug. 10.
  • Extra Hot Italian Cappy Style Ham with sell by date of Aug. 10.
  • Bologna with sell by date of Aug. 10.
  • Beef Salami with sell by date of Aug. 10.
  • Steakhouse Roasted Bacon Heat and Eat with sell by date of Aug. 15.
  • Garlic Bologna with sell by date of Aug. 10.
  • Beef Bologna with sell by date of Aug. 10.

Boar’s Head facility caused outbreak with insects, mold an mildew

The Department of Agriculture found insects, mold and mildew at the Boar’s Head plant in Virginia linked to the listeria outbreak. There were a total of 69 “noncompliances” filed by the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service inspectors over the past year.

Among the “noncompliances” listed in the records CBS News acquired from the USDA:

  • July 25, 2024: A flying insect was spotted near a rack holding 980 pounds of Tavern Ham.
  • July 23, 2024: An inspector found what “appeared to be black mold and mildew” and rust underneath hand washing sinks.
  • July 17, 2024: Three dead insects found in the Cure Cooler and several more, two of which were alive, in the facility.
  • June 10, 2024: “Approximately 15-20 flies were observed going in and out of the 4 vats of pickle left in the room” (on the plant’s “raw side”). Also found in other parts of the plant were “small flying gnat like insects were observed crawling on the walls and flying around the room,” plus “a steady line of ants … traveling down the wall floor junction on the right side of the room” and 7 ladybugs, 1 beetle-like insect and 1 cockroach-like insect.
  • February 21, 2024: “Ample amounts of blood in puddles on the floor” in the Raw Receiving cooler. “There was also a rancid smell in the cooler.”

What are the symptoms of listeria?

Symptoms of listeria typically start one to four weeks after eating contaminated foods. The people at most risk from listeria are those who are pregnant, over 65 or have a compromised immune system.

According to the USDA, symptoms include:

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  • Fever
  • Muscle aches
  • Headache
  • Stiff neck
  • Confusion
  • Loss of balance
  • Convulsions
  • Diarrhea
  • Other gastrointestinal symptoms
  • Miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery and/or life-threatening infection of newborn infants
  • Death

What foods are most likely to be contaminated with listeria?

The foods most likely to develop listeria are:

  • Unpasteurized soft cheeses
  • Unheated cheeses sliced at a deli
  • Unheated deli meat such as cold cuts, hot dogs and fermented or dried sausages
  • Premade deli salads such as coleslaw and potato, tuna or chicken salad
  • Refrigerated pate or meat spreads
  • Refrigerated smoked fish
  • Raw or lightly cooked sprouts
  • Cut melon left out for more than two hours
  • Cut melon in the refrigerator for more than a week
  • Raw or unpasteurized milk, yogurt and ice cream

USA TODAY contributed to this report.



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5 Keys For Florida to Beat No. 20 Tennessee – WRUF 98.1 FM | 850 AM | 103.7 HD2 ESPN

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5 Keys For Florida to Beat No. 20 Tennessee – WRUF 98.1 FM | 850 AM | 103.7 HD2 ESPN


Florida is back in The Swamp on Saturday for the first time since Oct. 18, just in time for a rivalry matchup with No. 20 Tennessee.

The Gators walked away from their three-game road trip winless and interim coach Billy Gonzales is still yet to win a game. But while their 3-7 record eliminates them from bowl eligibility, the Gators still have plenty to play for. Tennessee and Florida State are the last two opponents on Florida’s schedule and historically create gritty matchups with bragging rights that go a long way. The Gators haven’t lost at home to Tennessee since 2003 and won’t play the Vols for two years with the SEC’s new scheduling practices. 

Here are Florida’s five keys to taking down Tennessee’s high-powered offense and keeping the win streak alive. 

Pressure Joey

Tennessee quarterback Joey Aguilar leads one of the most explosive offenses in the country. Aguilar is first in the SEC with 2,737 yards and 19 touchdowns. Tennessee averages over 44 points per game and will blow the game open if you allow Aguilar to get comfortable.

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Florida bringing defensive tackle Caleb Banks back into its lineup could be a game-changer after he’s missed the last seven games. His ability to stop the run and pressure the quarterback could force Aguilar to make quicker decisions and, in turn, make mistakes. Banks hasn’t really been on the field all season, but will instantly draw the Tennessee offensive line’s attention, which could provide openings for the rest of the defensive line. 

Florida has only recorded 21 sacks this year, a clip that needs to improve if the Gators are going to slow down the Volunteer offense.

Limit Big Plays

Florida’s secondary is another area that needs to show out Saturday. 

Tennessee is 14th in the country in passing yards per completion, near Ole Miss and Texas A&M, who both caused problems downfield for Florida. The wide receiver trio of Chris Brazzell II, Braylon Staley and Mike Matthews is elite. They are all within the top seven in the SEC in receiving yards. Brazzell leads with 808. Matthews, the worst statistically of the three, still has 200 more yards than Vernell Brown III, Florida’s leading receiver this year. 

The Gators will have to watch out for the deep ball. Safety Bryce Thornton will be a major difference maker, but that’s if he makes it onto the field. He’s currently questionable, but his ball-hawking ability can create takeaways. 

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Show Up Every Play

Gonzales said it’s inevitable for a team like Tennessee to create big plays, but the real battle is making sure you get right up and prevent them from continuing. 

That’s the exact mindset Florida’s defense needs to have going into Saturday. 

At risk of becoming repetitive, the Volunteers’ offense is the most explosive part of their team. It’s how they win games. If the Gator defense can keep Tennessee under 30, they will have a chance to score the major upset. 

Protect the Quarterback

DJ Lagway showed some slight improvement in Florida’s loss to Ole Miss. His long touchdown toss to receiver J. Michael Sturdivant with the sophomore signal-caller’s feet planted shows what he can do when he is confident and can get his mechanics set. That starts with the offensive line.

Austin Barber has struggled this season at left tackle. Lagway naturally tends to float out of the pocket, so when the offensive line is poor he is quick to escape toward the sideline. This encourages his off-balance throws, which have been notably inaccurate this season. Florida needs to prevent that as much as possible to allow Lagway to put points on the board. Tennessee scores a lot. If the Gators are going to keep up offensively, Lagway needs to have a near-perfect situation when throwing. 

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Make it Ugly

Sometimes rivalry games produce results that you wouldn’t expect, only because of the sheer emotion of the matchup. Fights break out and trash talk, exotic celebrations reign. So while the Gators have definitely been worse than Tennessee this season, a hard-mouthed, ugly game that gets the crowd involved can bridge the gap in on-the-field quality. 

The Gators upset the Vols last time they came to The Swamp and a late hit on Graham Mertz after a quarterback kneel resulted in a fight after the final whistle. The home team has won four years straight in this rivalry for a reason. Getting Tennessee frustrated and keeping the crowd in the game can be an advantage.