In the meat sector, the BSE crisis and the recurring food poisoning cases have undermined public confidence on industrial meat producing systems. Thus, consumers are turning to "traditional" products, such as dry sausages. Small producers experience technical and financial difficulties in complying with official food safety regulations. So, it is crucial to give traditional producers the means to produce safe products, as it is the only way to insure the survival of local economies. The project evaluate the safety of traditional sausages from the producers to the consumers and then propose solutions to improve it via directed microbial ecology combined with HACCP. Results of the project will lead to the elaboration of a guide of good hygienic practice dedicaced to the producers and to the establishment of recommandations to European consumers.