Contamination of blood products by pathogenic bacteria and endotoxins remains an elusive risk of transfusion. Measures have been implemented and proposed to decrease this risk to the transfusion recipient, but no one measure to-date has proven completely efficacious in removing this risk. Bacterial contamination remains a risk for not only room-temperature stored products (platelets, for example), but also for some red cell components. This presentation will address contamination issues and prevention for both types of blood components.