Over the past ten years or so, HACCP has become the preferred tool for the management of microbiological food safety. As its use has spread and reliance on it as the main means of ensuring the safe production of food has increased, so the need for checking its effectiveness has also increased. This same period has also seen dramatic changes in the processing, storage and distribution of meat products; and new pathogens, e.g. E. coli O157, have challenged both existing supply chain controls and also consumer and regulatory views of safety requirements.