DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- As food safety officials undertake wider testing for potentially deadly E. coli in meat, Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann says that regulations are overburdening food producers.

Bachmann visited a family-owned meat packing plant in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday to argue that Americans want safety but also common sense. She warned against regulatory "overkill" and said that regulations can be so complex that they become expensive to the point of putting companies out of business.

Last week, the Agriculture Department announced it would expand testing of E. coli in meat to hasten recalls of tainted products and help officials identify more foodborne illnesses.

At the end of 2010, Congress passed a sweeping food safety bill sparked by recalls of tainted peanuts and other food products. Bachmann voted against that measure.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)