USDA Discovers Insects and Slime at Boar’s Head Facilities: Inspection Reports Reveal Findings
Inspectors identified unsanitary conditions at three facilities, while a plant located in Holland, Michigan, showed no such issues.
USDA inspectors reported observing insects—both dead and alive—over a dozen times across various facilities, with some findings occurring near meat products.
Additionally, inspectors noted several other unsanitary conditions, such as meat residue, trash on scales, and unidentified slime.
“Upon entering the pickle vat pump out area, around 15-20 flies were seen entering and exiting the four pickle vats left in the room,” an inspector noted after an inspection at a plant on June 10, 2024.
“Small, gnat-like flying insects were crawling on the walls and buzzing around the room. The room’s walls exhibited significant meat buildup, pink/orange discoloration, and denaturant overspray. The seal on the roll-up door leading to inedible storage was detached from the frame, hanging into the walkway. The roll-up door itself was contaminated with meat residue. A hot water pipe above the doorway was leaking continuously down the wall and onto the floor. Furthermore, the roll-up door leading outside the inedible room was ajar by about half an inch, allowing a steady influx of ants into the space.”
These records were made public following requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
Related Stories
They documented inspections of facilities in Forrest City, Arkansas; New Castle, Indiana; and Petersburg, Virginia.
Officials from Boar’s Head stated in an email on Monday that the violations noted at the three plants “do not align with our high standards.” They emphasized that their other facilities continue under normal USDA oversight. The company, based in Sarasota, Florida, has promoted itself for decades as a leading provider of deli meats and cheeses, boasting “excellence that stands apart in every bite.”
Inspection records from a fourth Boar’s Head facility in Holland, Michigan, did not indicate similar issues.
The unsanitary conditions observed at the other Boar’s Head plants are “very troubling,” commented Thomas Gremillion, director of food policy at the Consumer Federation of America, a nonprofit advocacy organization. “It’s understandable for some consumers to choose against eating deli meat. Companies like Boar’s Head must work diligently to regain consumers’ trust.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
