Beef tissue surfaces were inoculated with either Listeria monocytogenes or Salmonella typhimurium and placed in contact with uninoculated tissue surfaces. The transfer of bacteria from one surface to another was determined under conditions designed to simulate contamination during meat processing. Bacterial transfer decreased when the initial inoculum was allowed to adsorb to the base tissue prior to contact with the second tissue. The type of base tissue was a factor (P<0.05), with a greater transfer from fat with contact times of less than 1 min and a greater transfer from lean with longer contact times.