Prosciutto di Parma and the "FLU": what to tell your customers

05/06/2009

Although public health officials have made every effort to educate consumers about the H1N1 influenza virus (also referred to as "swine flu") and how it is transmitted, your customers might still voice concern regarding the safety of consuming pork products, including Prosciutto di Parma. We hope you will find this information helpful in reassuring them that Prosciutto di Parma is a perfectly safe product and is not implicated in any way in the transmission of the "flu".

• All types of influenza are transmitted by air and not by eating food. No scientific evidence exists that suggests meat from animals can be a carrier for the disease. The consumption of pork, including Prosciutto di Parma, should therefore be considered risk-free.
• Prosciutto di Parma is certified by the European Union as a Protected Designation of Origin product (PDO), which mandates the exclusive use of pork from pigs born and bred in specified regions of Italy, as well as traditional production methods. All curing and packaging are done in approved facilities in a designated production area around Parma, Italy, under the direct supervision of the Italian government and Consorzio regulatory authorities.
• Every Parma ham can be traced back to its origins and throughout its production. Before being fire-branded with the Parma crown, each and every ham is tested for quality and safety.
• Prosciutto di Parma’s long aging time is, in itself, a factor that guarantees safety. Dry-air curing of pork with sea salt using centuries-old traditional methods has been scientifically proven to discourage the growth of harmful bacteria and viruses.

"Parma Ham is one of Italy's most loved traditional products", says Fabrizio Raimondi, spokesperson for the Consorzio del Prosciutto di Parma. "Knowing the safety precautions that are taken throughout the production of these hams, we are confident that Prosciutto di Parma is absolutely safe and wholesome".

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