Food companies that prepare fresh food items often source individual ingredients from primary suppliers. The food safety risk is typically controlled at primary supplier plants or farms; however, the food safety stakes are high. It is necessary to have "boots on the ground" to assess how food safety and quality programs are integrated with the front-line operation for those suppliers who mitigate food safety risk on the behalf of a receiving company.

A recent study evaluated and compared the level of conformity with food safety requirements in cattle and pig slaughterhouses, for which large-scale and beef facilities scored better, on average.