Hot dogs and lunch meats, made in Michigan under such trusted brand names as Ball Park and Sara Lee, carried a virulent strain of bacteria that killed at least 21 people, sickened 80 more and prompted the largest meat recall in U.S. history. Federal regulators say Bil Mar Foods was a typical plant. That may be the most disturbing thing of all. The aftermath left unsettling conclusions. Precooked foods aren't always ready to eat.
Dangerous gaps exist in the food safety system.
And even now, we have no firm answers as to what went wrong at Bil Mar Foods, the plant blamed for the outbreak. In a five-day series beginning today, you'll learn about sanitation problems inside the massive plant. And you'll meet the people who paid the highest price of all, with their health and lives. Federal regulators say Bil Mar Foods was a typical plant. That may be the most disturbing thing of all.