ITALY
Thursday, September 28th, 2023
New rules and standards have been shared by the Consorzio Prosciutto di Parma regarding the production of its world-renowned cured ham.
The new rules span the entire process from the genetics of permitted pigs to the shelf-life of pre-sliced product and follow a lengthy period of review and study, a press release explained. The goal of the newly introduced standards is to ensure the guarantee of the Parma Crown for consistently high-quality food that is completely natural and aligned with its status as a Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) product.
The organization announced that—as of September 4, 2023—fresh pork legs entering production to become Prosciutto di Parma must meet the following standards:
- The list of permitted genetic types of pigs has been reformulated to provide greater transparency and effectiveness of controls. An 11th Italian region, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, has been approved for the rearing of pigs, and the list of foods for the pigs has been revised with an emphasis on quality and origin
- Regarding the weight of the pigs and fresh legs, changes have been made to the assessment of the pigs to an individual carcass replacing the average live weight analysis. Additionally, the minimum weight for a fresh leg entering production has been increased to 11.8 kg (about 26 lbs)
- Once the fresh pork begins the curing process, the maximum amount of allowable salt has decreased from 6.2 percent to 6 percent and the minimum curing period has been extended from 12 to 14 months. The 14-month minimum was already required for the U.S. market, and many of the new rules are establishing laws around standard production practices
- The DMD (Date of Minimum Durability) has been extended after extensive study. The shelf-life varies based on a variety of factors, including the type of packaging and aging of the ham. Only legs sliced and packaged in an approved facility in Parma can be sold as Prosciutto di Parma
These new rules will be enforced through CSQA, an independent third-party accredited by Italian authorities, the release went on to note.
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