While the scheme had previously been focused on the producer, seeking to control the disease on-farm, now the Food Standards Agency and British Pig Executive are turning their attention to the abattoir and to carcase contamination.

"We are trying to get a whole chain solution," BPEX chief executive Mick Sloyan said at the Pig and Poultry Fair this week.

He said that by focusing on food safety and the whole food chain it was hoped to reduce the incidence of salmonella in pig meat reaching the consumer.

By passing back the information about the incidence of salmonella from the processor to the farm, BPEX also hoped to see an improvement in practices on-farm and a reduction in salmonella at source.

Mr Sloyan said at present, incidence of salmonella in the British pig herd were below 10 per cent.

He added that rather than trying to beat the producers into reducing salmonella with threats of exclusion form the quality scheme, he hoped that the whole chain approach would bring a co-operation to reduce the numbers of cases along the line. However, exclusion from the quality scheme can still be an ultimate sanction.

The good performers in the processing sector that show low incidence of salmonella will be rewarded with a platinum certificate to mark their good practice.