Livestock entering abattoirs in Wales are to be given feeds incorporating markers designed to pick up potentially deadly bacteria such as E coli.
The project, unveiled on the first day of the Royal Welsh Show, was in part triggered by the devastating E coli outbreak in South Wales in 2005 in which a young boy died.
Scientists at Aberystwyth University's Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) aim to develop natural chlorophyll-based markers to be added to animal feed.
Carcasses will be screened at abattoirs using fluorescent imaging to identify contamination by animal waste.
Although the initial pilot will only involve some abattoirs it could eventually be rolled out across the whole country.
Michael Lee, who is leading the project at IBERS, said that the project team was currently working with partners to develop feeds to include the markers.
The project will also look at the possibility of using the markers to identify contamination in poultry and eggs.
"Our meat sector is very safe, but when incidents like the 2005 outbreak do occur they have the potential to hit extremely hard.
Anything we can do to improve safety needs to be done, the status quo is not an option," said Dr Lee.
The project was launched by Wales' Rural Affairs Minister, Elin Jones, who believes it will play a central role in maintaining consumer confidence in food produced in Wales.
The project is being jointly funded by the Welsh Assembly Government with industry partners including Waitrose, Castell Howell Foods and the Wynnstay Group.