by Laura Conaway

For a business like Topps Meat, ditching 21 million pounds of product makes for a bad, bad day at the office. The New Jersey-based food company tossed an entire year's supply of beef last week after samples tested positive for a dangerous strain of E. coli.

On Tuesday's show, science correspondent Joe Palca questioned whether a response on that scale was necessary. Now comes word that Topps is shutting down, with 87 employees to be left out of work:

"This is tragic for all concerned," said Topps chief operating officer Anthony D'Urso, a member of the family that founded the company in 1940.