LOS ANGELES, July 26 -- A multi-state listeria outbreak in the United States, which has now sickened at least 34 people and killed two as of Friday, prompted a massive recall of tainted deli meat.

Boar's Head Provisions Co., a company based in Virginia, was recalling all liverwurst product in market and other eight deli meat products that were produced on the same line and on the same day, because it may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) Friday.

FSIS estimated that the grocery store mainstay would recall over 100 tons (207,000 lbs) of meat from deli counters nationwide. All of the products were produced between June 11 and July 17, and have a 44-day shelf life.

Friday's recall was made after an investigation found traces of the bacteria on samples of liverwurst in Maryland, and further testing was ongoing to determine if the product sample was related to the nationwide outbreak, FSIS said.

FSIS suggested that consumers who had purchased these products to clean refrigerators thoroughly to prevent the risk of cross-contamination and recommended retail delis clean and sanitize all food and non-food surfaces and discard any open meats and cheeses in the deli.

Listeria spread easily among deli equipment, surfaces, hands and food, the Centers for the Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in a press release last Friday, adding that refrigeration does not kill listeria.

Consumption of food contaminated with listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects people who are pregnant, aged 65 or older, or with weakened immune systems.

The outbreak was first reported last week. As of Friday, 34 people were sickened, with all but one hospitalized. Two people died.

According to the CDC, the deaths occurred in Illinois and New Jersey, New York had seven cases, the most of any state, and Maryland had six cases. Missouri, Virginia, Georgia and Massachusetts each had two cases, while Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Pennsylvania and North Carolina each had reported one case.

  - Xinhua