In a survey at a bacon factory agar sausage samples were taken from three carcass sites of each of 50 pigs at different positions along the dressing line. It was found that despite a very high initial bacterial count, the singeing process reduced this to an acceptable level of less than 100 organisms cm-2. Although intermediate handling and consequent contamination took place along the dressing lines, the final chilling process rendered carcasses with acceptable bacterial levels.