A survey of process hygiene in the Sri Lanka prawn industry has shown that incoming raw materials had extremely high bacterial loadings, about 50% of samples analysed having total counts in excess of I07 g~L Although deheading, washing and freezing reduced this loading, total bacterial counts on final products were often in the range 10M07 g_1. Sinphyloccocus aureus often exceeded 102 g' 3 though most samples had levels of Escherichia coli of < 6 g~1. Of 262 personnel in export prawn plants in Sri Lanka. 137 (52%) were found to carry S. aureus On their fingers; between companies the prevalence of S. aureus ranged from 22-92%. Although five companies provided sanitiser hand-dips this was found to be ineffective for the control of S. aureus. In addition, provision of hand-washing facilities, protective clothing and toilet facilities was inadequate. Of the 15 export plants surveyed, only five were found to have a process which was adequately controlled. The most common process defects included inadequate chilling of prawns following the several washing stages, use of block ice to chill prawns, high prawn: ice ratios, and cross contamination between processed and raw products.