Trichinella is a foodborne zoonotic parasitic nematode. The infective muscle larvae of the parasite enter the muscle cells of the host. Infection of humans or animals occurs through the consumption of raw or undercooked meat. Trichinella spp. is a major parasite of pigs, carnivores and omnivores. The parasite circulates in wildlife and can thus infect domestic animals in contact mainly with contaminated  animals’ carcasses. Meat inspection at the slaughterhouse is mandatory under international and European regulations, as is the inspection of all game animals intended for human consumption. In cases of private consumption, testing for larvae in meat is recommended. During the 1975-1999 period, human trichinellosis outbreaks occurred in France and led to the implementation of a monitoring system including the training of technicians from routine laboratories, standardisation and harmonisation of the network with the  gold standard reference method of artificial digestion, as well as the establishment of a quality assurance programme with ring trials, the certification of routine laboratories by the Ministry of Agriculture, and laboratory accreditation. As a consequence, since 1999 the autochthonous cases of

human contamination have been linked to consumption of meat that is not controlled by the veterinary services. The implemented system can thus be considered as effective in protecting consumers from Trichinella infections.