Public health and pork: pre-harvest food safety and slaughter perspectives.

Operating conditions for the food industry in general and pork production in particular are changing. The safety and quality of food are attracting increasing concern from the consumer, especially in industrialised countries. This paper describes the impact on the swine industry and on the veterinary profession of the 'farm-to-table' concept and the implementation of hazard analysis and critical control point plans throughout the food production chain.