This study was performed to evaluate the resistance rate against antimicrobials of food isolates of the five major food-borne pathogens to compare these and to possibly distinguish a pattern. A total of 922 samples of the major meat species (pork, beef and poultry) were analysed for thermophilic Campylobacter, Salmonella, Yersinia enterocolitica, pathogenic Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Isolates were subjected to antimicrobial resistance testing by the disc diffusion method. Roughly the same overall rate of resistance was identified for thermophilic Campylobacter, Salmonella and pathogenic E. coli. Resistance to quinolones and tetracycline was determined most frequently. In contrast, food isolates of Y. enterocolitica and L. monocytogenes were rarely tested resistant. The significance of our findings is that resistance rates in enteric bacteria seem to be much higher than in pathogens found in a variety of environments, closely associated to the host environment.