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steps? What are the greatest
needs and difficulties that the
consortiums have to face?
Each stage in the production chain
plays a key role in ensuring a high
quality standard. That is why the
product specifications that follow the
provisions laid out always take first
place! Our consortiums respect every
process, aware of the value of the
product. Only the economic crisis of
recent years may have created some
problems, such as the reduction of
the available raw material and the
consequent increase in prices, thus
generating a burden of the production
costs for our companies.
The traceability of prosciutto to
safeguard the Dop certification:
what commitment is given by
the consortium to always give
maximum guarantee to the
denomination of protected origin?
Parma ham is a controlled and safe
product thanks to a traceability
system that covers the whole chain.
Each component leaves its own
tattoo on the rind of the ham so
that you can always check the steps
of the chain. In addition, among
our objectives is to raise consumer
awareness with informative activities
both on the guarantees of traceability
of the entire Italian chain, and on the
nutritional properties of Parma ham.
A way to make it recognisable to
everyone and give the opportunity to
buy it and consume it with awareness.
How do you see Parma ham in
overseas catering? What can be
done to fight counterfeiting?
In our promotional program abroad
we dedicate ample space to the
HoReCa channel with which we
work in France, Japan and the
United States. Having Parma ham
on one’s own menu is definitely
prestigious, but it also requires a lot
of knowledge. This is why we look
after training chefs and professionals
with special seminars and educational
meetings.
Even against counterfeiting, the
consortium always ranks in the front
row. Fortunately in Italy the cases
are limited, we cannot say the same
for foreign countries, especially in
non-European countries in which, as
there are not even legislative rules
aimed at the protection of foodstuffs,
intervention is more consistent and
targeted. We therefore believe that it
is very important to make a system
with the other Italian Dop and IGP to
monitor the international markets on
any imitations or counterfeits.
The Italian Food Valley
Symbol of an incredibly rich Italy
of quality gastronomic products,
prosciutto is also an image of
excellence of its city, Parma,
province of Emilia, which includes 6
museums dedicated to food (www.
museidelcibo.it), a Food Valley that
has been able to transform the work
and wealth of the territory not only
into a source of income but into a
model of high-potential tourism.
“Parma has several excellences: its
history, architecture, art and food
and wine,” declares Mayor Federico
Pizzarotti. “We are active in knowing
how to combine all the culinary
excellences in one brand: Parma.
We have unique and inimitable
treasures at a distance of a few
kilometres, such as the Prosciutto in
the hiills and the Culatello in the lower
part of the province, one just needs
to know how to join and bind them
to the artistic patrimony of our city
to be competitive in an increasingly
demanding market. The institutions, for
their part, have the task of assembling
the excellences to make them available
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BOX
TRACEABILITY
___________________________________________________________________
This brand is tattooed on the thighs of pigs to identify the company code
and the month of the birth of the animal.
PROVINCE CODE
BREEDER CODE
DATE CODE
SLAUGHTERHOUSE
IDENTIFICATION CODE
PRODUCTION START MONTH
AND YEAR
COMPANY IDENTIFICATION
CODE
A brand, PP Parma ham and the identification of the slaughterhouse.
Month and year of the start of the seasoning are reported in relief, together
with the abbreviation C.P.P. - Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma.
After a careful examination that verifies the regularity of the previous
phases and the achievement of the unmistakable organoleptic requirements
of Parma ham, the brand is affixed consisting of a 5-point crown with an
oval base in which the inscription is inserted PARMA and the acronym
identifying the company where the processing was carried out.