From faulty espresso makers to e.coli-infested beef, even a partial list of recalls from the last decade and a half reads like the who's who of global manufacturers and food purveyors.

1992:

Braun warns consumers that filters on two models of its espresso/cappuccino makers can cause glass carafes to break. People don’t like glass in their java.

1996:

Braun recalls 5,000 espresso/cappuccino makers (same problem, different models).

1999:

Burger King recalls 25 million Pokemon balls in kids’ meals. The tykes could choke if they swallowed them.

2000:

Due to tread problems, Bridgestone/Firestone recalls 6.5 million tires used on Ford Explorer sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigates complaints of injury and death.

2001:

Evenflo recalls 3.4 million baby car seats. The handles can release unexpectedly, causing the seat (and baby) to flip.

2002:

Kellogg recalls 730,000 packages of Pop-Tarts because they contain undeclared egg, which is an allergen that must be indicated on the label.
Abbott Laboratories recalls 750,000 gonorrhea tests because they may give false negative results, advising people who have been tested for the disease in the prior eight months to be retested.

2003:

Disney recalls 40,000 “Woody” dolls with buttons that pose a choking hazard.

2004:

Merck withdraws Vioxx, an arthritis pain medication found to increase risk of heart attack and stroke.

2005:

Disney recalls 12,900 pairs of children’s sunglasses. They contain high levels of lead paint.

2006:

205 confirmed illnesses and three deaths from e.coli are traced to spinach from Natural Selection Foods, according to the FDA.
The Nunes Co. recalls lettuce contaminated with e.coli that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention link to illnesses among East Coast Taco Bell customers.
Dell recalls 4 million laptops, and Apple 1.1 million, that are running fire-prone Sony batteries.

2007:

Nokia recalls 46 million cell phone batteries for manufacturing defects that could cause them to short-circuit, overheat and dislodge.
United Food Group recalls 5.7 million pounds of ground beef that could be e.coli contaminated.
Mattel recalls 21 million Chinese-made toys due to lead-paint and choking hazards.