Recent recalls covered everything from spinach to meat to children's snacks

MONDAY, Jan. 14 (HealthDay News) -- In a little less than a year and a half, the list of tainted foods has become as varied as it is long. And the impact on people is stark: An E. coli bacteria outbreak in bagged fresh spinach grown in California by Natural Selections killed three people and sickened more than 200 others in 26 states and Canada. Salmonella in batches of Peter Pan and Great Value peanut butter, made by ConAgra Inc., sickened 625 people in 47 states. Salmonella-tainted tomatoes served in restaurants sickened 183 people in 21 states and Canada. E. coli-contaminated lettuce from California served at two Taco John's restaurants in two states sickened 80 people. An E. coli outbreak in iceberg lettuce used by the Taco Bell chain sickened more than 70 people in five northeastern states. A salmonella-contamination warning was issued for all Banquet chicken and turkey pot pies, made by ConAgra, after 139 cases of infection appeared in 30 states. A nationwide recall of a children's snack, Veggie Booty, by Robert's American Gourmet Food Inc., followed 52 reports of salmonella illness in 17 states, mostly involving children under 10. Reports of 25 illnesses from E. coli prompted the Topps Meat Co. to issue a nationwide recall of 21.7 million pounds of ground beef products, one of the largest meat recalls in U.S. history. General Mills recalled 3.3 million pounds of frozen meat pizza products following reports of E. coli contamination sickening 21 people in 10 states. Cargill Inc. recalled more than 800,000 pounds of ground beef distributed through Sam's Club after E. coli poisoning sickened at least four children. Cargill issued a nationwide recall of more than 1 million pounds of ground beef sold to top supermarkets, because of potential E. coli contamination. Castleberry Food Co. recalled more than 90 products, including children's snack foods, because of potential botulism contamination. Kraft's recalled 24,000 cases of white chocolate baking squares because of potential salmonella contamination. Oscar Mayer recalled 52,650 pounds of chicken breasts because of Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

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