inspectors from the US Department of Agriculture USDA discovered numerous violations at a B's head facility in Virginia which has now been associated with a nationwide recall of Delhi Meats the newly released records from the USDA detail the presence of mold mildew and insects repeatedly identified throughout the site last month Bor head issued a recall for all Delhi Meats produced at its gerat Virginia plant after a leria outbreak was traced back to products distributed from that location the outbreak has escalated significantly leading to 57 hospitalizations across 18 states all linked to the contaminated products originating from the gerat facility tragically at least nine deaths have been reported so far including two fatalities in South Carolina with additional deaths occurring in Illinois New Jersey Virginia Florida Tennessee New Mexico and New York the Centers for Disease Control and prevention CDC stated on Wednesday that this is the largest listeriosis outbreak since the 2011 outbreak that was connected to cantaloupe authorities in multiple States found unopened products distributed from the bores head plant to be contaminated with the bacteria leria monocytogenes genetic sequencing has confirmed that the bacteria from these products match the strain responsible for the ongoing outbreak consumers are strongly urged to check their refrigerator ators for any of the recalled deli meats and thoroughly clean any surfaces that may have come into contact with them a spokesperson from South Carolina's Health Department warned in a statement following the new deaths that consumers who were unaware of the recall may have consumed the contaminated products there is also a possibility of a prolonged course of illness the usda's food safety and inspection service fsis released records which document 69 instances of non-compliances identified by the agency over the past year at the gerat plant it remains uncertain whether bores head will face any penalties from the USDA for these recurring issues reports made public by the agency so far show no record of enforcement actions taken against the company in the past year a USDA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the matter in an official statement a B's head spokesperson expressed deep regret reget over the impact of the recall emphasizing that food safety is their utmost priority as a USDA inspected food producer the agency has inspectors in our gerat Virginia plant every day and whenever inspectors identify an issue that requires Attention our team addresses it immediately as was the case with each issue raised by the USDA in this report said Elizabeth Ward the company spokesperson Ward also stated that all operations at the gerat plant have been suspended ended and the company is actively working to disinfect the facility and retrain its employees she assured that no products will be released from the plant until they meet the highest standards of quality and safety during this time we have partnered with leading Global food safety experts in the industry to conduct a comprehensive investigation to determine the root cause of the events leading to this recall Ward added the records reveal that Beyond paperwork lapses and resist idual meat left on equipment or's head was repeatedly faulted by inspectors for mold and mildew accumulating in various areas of the gerat facility in July federal inspectors noted the presence of what appeared to be mold and Milo around the handwashing sinks used by workers handling meats that were supposed to be ready for consumption additionally previous records indicated that mold had also built up outside of the steel Vats used by the plant as well as in the holding coolers situated between the site smok houses in January inspectors reported a black mold-like substance was observed throughout the room at the wall concrete Junction as well as on some cocking around the brick and metal some of the affected spots were as large as a quarter other parts of the facility were noted to have issues with leaking or pooling water inspectors reported finding a puddle with a green algal growth inside it and condensation dripping over product storage areas when inspectors brought one of these leaks to the company's attention workers attempted to clean it up however the issue persisted the employee wiped a third time but the leaks returned within 10 seconds inspectors wrote after one such condensation issue was raised on July 27th near fans that appeared to be blowing the liquid onto uncovered deli meats the USDA also flagged the company for leaks of other substances in February an inspector reported finding ample amounts of blood in puddles on the floor and noted a rancid smell permeating a cooler used at the plant multiple records documented sightings of insects in and around the deli meats at the facility one particular incident led the agency to tag over 980 lb of ham in a Smokehouse hallway to be retained for further investigation in June another record flagged concerns about flies entering and exiting Vats of pickle that had been left in a room by B's head small flying gnat-like insects were observed crawling on the walls and flying around the room the room's walls had heavy meat buildup inspectors noted other areas of the facility were found to have bug infestations including ants traveling down the wall as well as sightings of a beetle and a cockroach the persistent and varied nature of these violations highlights the significant challenges faced by the company in maintaining the necessary hygiene standards which have now led to severe Public Health consequences the usda's findings have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of bores head's internal food safety protocols and whether sufficient corrective measures are being implemented to prevent such outbreaks in the future as the investigation continues Public Health officials stress the importance of awareness and vigilance among consumers especially regarding products that may still be in circul ation or in household refrigerators the ongoing situation serves as a critical reminder of the potentially devastating impact of lapses in food safety practices not only for the companies involved but also for the health and well-being of consumers Across the Nation