Boar’s Head faces class action suit in NY over listeria outbreak

NEW YORK (PIX11) – A new class action lawsuit filed in New York takes aim at Boar’s Head amid a listeria outbreak that has killed two people, accusing the company of misleading customers. 

The suit, filed last week by Rita Torres, claims Boar’s Head purposely designed its recall to keep people from getting their money back and intentionally omitted the listeria outbreak in its promotional materials and packaging. 

“Consumers like [Torres] trust manufacturers ... to sell products that are safe and free from harmful known substances,” the lawsuit states. “[Boar’s Head] knows that if they had not omitted that the Products contained Listeria monocytogenes, then [customers] would not have purchased the Products.”

Boar’s Head on July 25 recalled 10 products for the potential presence of Listeria monocytogenes. The recall later expanded to include 7 million pounds of products, a full list of which can be found on Boar’s Head’s website. 

The contaminated products have been linked to outbreaks that put 33 people in the hospital and killed two across 13 states, according to the CDC. Some 12 of those cases are in New York, and another two in New Jersey, according to the CDC. 

“No words can fully express our sympathies and the sincere and deep hurt we feel for the families that have suffered losses and others who endured illness,” representatives of Boar’s Head wrote on the brand’s website. 

The recall has already prompted another lawsuit from a couple in Missouri after a woman was hospitalized in early July with a life-threatening listeria infection, according to the woman's lawyers.

A spokesperson for Boar’s Head did not immediately respond to PIX11’s request for comment.