NEWPORT NEWS, Virginia – A Newport News family is mourning the loss of their loved one. 88-year-old Gunter Morganstein died after eating Boar’s Head sausage.
Last month, Boar’s Head recalled several products manufactured over the summer due to a listeria outbreak.
According to the CDC, at least three people have died as a result of the Boar’s Head recall.
Watch: Hampton Roads senior dies of listeria, 9 others sicken, CDC says
Elderly Hampton Roads man dies of listeria, 9 others sicken, CDC says
Morganstein’s family says he is one of them.
News 3 contacted Boar’s Head and was told that the liverwurst meat produced at the Jarratt, Virginia, plant was contaminated.
Morganstein’s family says he ate this frequently, even several days before he was taken to the hospital.
“A few weeks ago, he started not eating as much,” said Shon Morganstein, Gunter Morganstein’s son.
Watch: Maker of Hershey’s, Jeni’s and Chipwich ice cream products recalls products over listeria concerns
Listeria outbreak linked to ice cream from Florida
Gunter was a barber in Newport News and worked as a hairdresser until he became ill.
Shon says things took a turn for the worse when his father was admitted to the emergency room on July 8.
“He complained to my mother early in the morning that he was having trouble breathing. They started doing tests because they couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him. Then the result came back: listeria,” Morganstein said.
They traced it back to a liver sausage that his father said he had bought in a grocery store.
Shon said his father died ten days after being admitted to the hospital.
Boar’s Head sent the following statement to News 3:
“We deeply regret the impact this recall has had on the families affected. No words can express our sympathy and the sincere and deep pain we feel for those who have suffered loss or endured illness.
We are working with leading food safety experts to conduct a comprehensive investigation to find out how our liverwurst produced at our Jarratt, Virginia facility became adulterated and to prevent it from happening again.
As soon as we learned of a potential health risk with our liver sausage, we immediately recalled it and then, out of an abundance of caution, voluntarily expanded our recall to all products manufactured at the same factory. We have paused production at this Jarratt, Virginia, factory and will not resume until we are confident it meets the standards our customers expect and deserve. The health and well-being of consumers is and always has been our top priorities.”
Boar’s Head announced that production at this facility had been suspended.
“The most recalled food was liverwurst. My mother knew he liked it and that he had eaten it recently,” Morganstein said.
News 3’s Leondra Head spoke to Hampton Roads delis to learn how the Boars Head recall is affecting them.
Watch: Norfolk hot dog restaurant Perfectly Frank switches menu items after Boar’s Head recall
Hampton Roads restaurant relies on other menu items after Boar’s Head recall
“Due to what’s happening, it’s not available to us right now. But when things calm down and Boar’s Head clears things up, we’ll use it again,” said Adel Hagez, owner of Granby Bistro & Deli.
He says the recall forced them to switch to another meat carrier.
“We replaced it with good premium meat,” said Hagez.
Shon says he and his family will file a lawsuit against Boar’s Head over his father’s death.
