In late 2005, a year before a deadly outbreak of E. coli in spinach, the Food and Drug Administration sent a letter to California growers expressing its "serious concern" over ongoing outbreaks of foodborne illness from that state's lettuce and spinach crops, CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.There had been 19 outbreaks since 1995.
The letter did not indicate plans to step up inspections. Instead, it called on the industry to take "the appropriate measures to provide a safe product."
One year later, outbreak No. 20 � the spinach � killed three and sickened more than 200.
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