An 88-year-old Holocaust survivor died after he ate a Boar’s Head deli meat that was contaminated with listeria.
Günter Morgenstein’s death was reportedly part of the first wrongful death lawsuit filed against the company since its meat was linked to the recent nationwide Listeria outbreak.
According to The New York Post, the Holocaust survivor is one of the nine people who died since the Listeria outbreak was first reported in July. Nearly 60 others have been hospitalized with the deadly bacteria.
In their lawsuit, which was filed in Florida last week, Morgenstein’s family accuses Boar’s Head of “negligence” in the distribution of defective and unreasonably dangerous” meats without “adequate warnings of the product’s dangers.” This led to the elder man’s death.
Morgenstein, a Virginia resident, purchased Boar’s Head liverwurst and other Boar’s Head products at a local Harris Teeter supermarket on June 30. He used the deli meat for sandwiches. “He subsequently became ill, suffering from weakness, diarrhea, fatigue, and a fever,” his family shared in the lawsuit.
The elder man’s health continued to worsen. He was eventually admitted to a nearby hospital on July 8. His blood culture came back positive for listeria. His family shared that he eventually developed listeriosis, encephalitis, meningitis, and sepsis as a result of the contaminated meat.
The Holocaust survivor died from listeria after being hospitalized for 10 days. The cause of death was listed as listeria meningoencephalitis, a deadly bacterial infection that can cause brain abscess.
“Günter was a great man who lived an extraordinary life,” Ron Simon, attorney for the Morgenstein family, shared in a statement to The Post. “He should not have died from eating a sandwich.”
Simon is also representing other listeria victims. Boar’s Head has not publicly responded to the lawsuit.
Center for Disease Control Announced the Boars Head Listeria Outbreak in Late July
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) released a statement about the outbreak in late July, noting that listeria is a “hardy germ” that can remain on services. This includes meat slicers and foods, even at refrigerated temperatures.
“It can also take up to 10 weeks for some people to have symptoms of listeriosis,” the CDC stated. “Do not eat recalled deli meats. Some of the products have sell-by dates into October 2024.”
The CDC also stated that epidemiologic, laboratory, and traceback data show that meats sliced at delis, including Boar’s Head brand liverwurst, are contaminated with listeria.
“Products sold at the deli, especially those sliced or prepared at the deli, can be contaminated with listeria,” the CDC continued. “Listeria spreads easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands, and food.”
The CDC pointed out that refrigeration does not kill listeria. However, reheating to a high enough temperature before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats.
Boar’s Head Ready-to-Eat Liverwurst products have been recalled. The producers would have been produced between June 11, 2024, and July 17, 2024, and have a 44-day shelf-life. It also has “Boar’s Head Strassburger Brand Liverwurst made in Virginia” on the package.
The size is 3.5 pound loaves in plastic casing, or various weight packages sliced in retail delis. Sell-by dates range from July 25, 2024, to August 30, 2024.