The aim of this study was to find out if the use of septic tank sludge, urine and compostedfaeces as fertilizer for barley and carrot crops would pose a health risk due to pathogentransfer,This study was accomplished as a greenhouse experiment in the premises of the TAM KUniversity of Applied Sciences, Tampere. The study concentrated on the qualitative detectionof Salmonella and a quantitative detection of coliform bacteria in the growing medium - andmore importantly, in the plant products. Methods used were based on instructions given onthe compact salmonella (SL) detection plates and the Compact coliform (CF) detection plateswith a modified method of standards SFS 3950 and SFS 4447. The results were comparedamong others to the European Commission regulation 2073/2005 on microbiological criteriafor foodstuffSalmonella was absent in the fertilizers, and thus its presence would be impossible in the plantproducts. Coliform bacteria were initially detected in the growing medium, but generally theamount decreased significantly within time. At the end of the experiment barley grains fromthe first urine duplicate and first composted faeces duplicate were totally free of coliformbacteria. Also, the amount of coliform bacteria in barley grains of other treatments wasacceptable in hygienic terms, being less than I cfu/g. The amount of coliform bacteria incarrots grown in commercial fertilizer and composted faeces treatments were within thesatisfactory limits. The small size of carrots from urine and septic tank sludge treatments didnot allow complete handling, nevertheless, the amount of colony forming units wasconsidered to be within the acceptable limit of 100-IO00 cfu/g. Results from this studyindicate that the use of composted excreta and source separated human urine as fertilizer isnot posing a health risk in terms of coliform bacteria. More thorough research, however, isneeded in order to define the risk of other disease causing microbes, like enterococci andviruses.