Sara Lee Meat Plant Under Investigation

A federal grand jury is investigating Sara Lee Corp.'s Bil Mar Foods meat processing plant in Zeeland, MI, following a December 1998 oubreak of Listeria connected to the facility. Sara Lee spokeswoman Theresa Herlevsen said the U.S. attorney's office in Grand Rapids, MI, is investigating Bil Mar Foods.

Hot dogs and other packaged meat from Bil Mar's Zeeland plant have been linked to 15 deaths, six miscarriages and stillbirths and about 100 illnesses in 22 states, according to the Federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (See related article).

Herlevsen said the Chicago-based Sara Lee is cooperating with the grand jury and conducting its own investigation.