One hundred and fifty swabs were taken from the surface of beef carcases and meat contact surfaces at a modern abattoir for monitoring the EEC. Moreover, other swabs were taken from hands of meat handlers, clothes and inner surfaces of open cars used for meat distribution. E.coli was isolated more oftenly from the shoulder than from the thigh and from cars more than from hands and clothes of workers. Serotypes of EEC from surface of beef carcases were 055: K 59 (B 5) from shoulder after skinning and 0111: K 58 (B 4) after preparation and O 119: K 69 (B 14) from shoulder after preparation and stamping and from thigh after delivery in cars. EEC serotype 026 : K 60 (B 6) was isolated from hands and 0 55: K 59 (B 5) from cars.