FOOD

* Sara Lee Corp. settled two class-action lawsuits that claimed that hot dogs and deli meat the company processed were contaminated with listeria bacteria and caused deaths and illnesses. The company did not admit any wrongdoing. Sara Lee said it would pay less than $5 million to settle the suits and another $1.6 million to settle five individual claims. More lawsuits are pending against the company over the contaminated meat, which prompted a recall by Sara Lee in 1998.