THE Viewpoint article ‘Clarifying vets’ role in food safety' by Kenneth Clarke ( VR , April 7, 2012, vol 170, pp 365–366) highlights the complexity of the ongoing debate about the role of vets in meat hygiene specifically and in food safety in general, following the article on modernisation of meat inspection by Robert Huey ( VR , January 21, 2012, vol 170, pp 68–70). While the article mainly discusses the vets' duties in abattoirs in ante- and postmortem inspection, it also recognises their contribution to animal health surveillance and animal welfare. For example, in Great Britain Official Veterinarians (OVs) are employed or contracted to work in abattoirs by the Food Standards Agency (FSA). In addition to ante- and postmortem inspection, and supervision of hygiene in abattoirs, OVs perform/supervise other tasks, including animal welfare, collection of …