Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27
Date: 2025-08-12
Institutions: Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, European Commission
Subjects: Emilia-Romagna, Italy, Lombardy, Marches, consumer information, designation of origin, labelling, meat product, product designation, quality control of agricultural products




C_202504525EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
C series













C/2025/4525


12.8.2025






Publication of the communication of an approved standard amendment to a product specification of a geographical indication in accordance with Article 5(4) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 (1)

(C/2025/4525)

COMMUNICATION OF APPROVAL OF A STANDARD AMENDMENT

(Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143)



                     ‘Prosciutto di Parma’
                  


EU No: PDO-IT-0067-AM06 – 19.5.2025
                  

1.   Name of product


               ‘Prosciutto di Parma’
            
2.   Geographical indication type







☒


Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)










☐


Protected Geographical Indication (PGI)










☐


Geographical Indication (GI)




3.   Sector







☒


Agricultural products










☐


Wines










☐


Spirit drinks




4.   Country to which the geographical area belongs

Italy
5.   Member State authority communicating the standard amendment

Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry - Department for Food Sovereignty and Equestrian Sports
6.   Qualification as standard amendment

The amendments to the product specification for Prosciutto di Parma PDO:






—


do not include a change in the name of the protected designation of origin or protected geographical indication, or in the use of that name;










—


do not risk voiding the link referred to in Article 5(1), point (b), for protected designations of origin, or the link referred to in Article 5(2), point (b), for protected geographical indications; and










—


do not entail further restrictions on the marketing of the product.




7.   Description of the approved standard amendment(s)


Amendment to Article 5

Amendment 1
The amendment concerns Article 5, paragraph 3, subparagraph (a) of the product specification and point 3.3 of the single document.
Description: The amendment replaces the current maximum weight of an individual heavy pig carcass – 168,0 kg - with a new maximum weight of 180,0 kg.
Reason: The continued spread of African swine fever virus (ASF), together with the full application of the recent production rules concerning pig rearing, particularly as regards genetic improvement and the improvement of husbandry practices, have led to an increase in the pigs’ weight.
While the maximum limit laid down for fresh legs of pork remains unchanged at 18 kg, experience in the field has shown that, for technical reasons, a carcass weighing 168,0 kg is unlikely to yield fresh legs of pork weighing 18,0 kg or, therefore, cured Prosciutto di Parma hams weighing 12,5 kg, i.e. ‘heavy’ hams that stand out even more as compared to generic prosciutto crudo hams.
Data from official checks shows that increasing the maximum carcass weight from 168,0 kg to 180,0 kg will allow the use of a significant number of legs of pork – some 600 000 per year – that are suitable for Prosciutto di Parma production.
The amendment affects the single document.
SINGLE DOCUMENT


                     ‘Prosciutto di Parma’
                  


EU No: PDO-IT-0067-AM06 – 19.5.2025
                  


PDO (X) PGI ( )

1.   Name(s) (of PDO or PGI)


               ‘Prosciutto di Parma’
            
2.   Member State or Third Country

Italy
3.   Description of the agricultural product or foodstuff

3.1.   Combined Nomenclature code







—


16 – PREPARATIONS OF MEAT, OF FISH, OF CRUSTACEANS, MOLLUSCS OR OTHER AQUATIC INVERTEBRATES, OR OF INSECTS




3.2.   Description of the product to which the name in (1) applies

The product is a prosciutto crudo ham, dry-cured for at least 14 months, with a rounded shape. The distal part of the leg (the trotter) and any external imperfections that could compromise the product’s image are removed. It weighs between 8,2 kg and 12,5 kg. When the ham is cut, the meat is a uniform colour between pink to red, interspersed with the pure white of the fat. In terms of aroma and taste, it is a delicate, mild-tasting meat which is not particularly salty and has a fragrant, characteristic aroma. The hams are characterised by certain analytical values, namely a moisture content of 58,0 % - 63,0 %, a sea salt (sodium chloride) content of 4,2 % - 6,0 % and a soluble nitrogen content (proteolysis index) of 25,0 % - 32,0 %. These values are tested only from a sample of lean meat taken from the biceps femoris of the ham before it is marked with the ‘ducal crown’ logo. Once it has the logo affixed, ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ may be marketed as whole bone-in or boneless hams, as packed portions of different weights and shapes, including half-hams, or as sliced ham in suitable packing. Alternative means of identification that are equally as indelible and non-removable as the logo and ensure the tracking and traceability of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ can be used as well as or instead of it.
Once it has been marked and boned, ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ may also be marketed as pre-packed sliced ham in the ‘classic’ or ‘take-away’ format.
3.3.   Feed (for products of animal origin only) and raw materials (for processed products only)

The permitted feed materials, quantities and methods of use are listed in a single table. Liquid feeding – including the traditional practice of administering feed with whey and/or buttermilk – and dry feeding are both possible methods of feeding pigs.
Cereals must represent at least 45 % of the dry matter fed to growers.
The permitted feed materials are: maize gluten feed and/or corn gluten feed, maize, sorghum, barley, wheat, triticale, maize silage, whole ear maize meal, maize grain meal and/or corn cob meal, minor cereals, wheat bran and other by-products of wheat processing, linseed expeller, linseed expeller feed, linseed meal, linseed meal feed, dehydrated beet pulp, fruit pulp and tomato pulp (tomato pomace) as premix carriers, whey, buttermilk, distillers’ dried grains and solubles, lucerne (high temperature dried), molasses, products obtained during extraction of soya beans, products obtained during extraction of sunflower seeds, products obtained during extraction of rapeseeds, maize germ meal, peas, other legume seeds, yeasts, lipids with a melting point above 36 °C, fish meal, and roasted whole soya beans and/or soya expeller.
Cereals must make up at least 55 % of the dry matter fed to finishers, whose diets can consist of the same feed materials listed above with the exception of fish meal and roasted whole soya bean and/or soya expeller.
While the raw materials fed to pigs should come from the geographical area in which they are reared and have suitable quality characteristics to ensure the pigs are fed a good, healthy diet, some years it might not be technically practicable to source 100 % of those raw materials locally for climate-related and commercial reasons. In that case, pursuant to Article 47 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1143, the quality of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ and its link with the local area are always guaranteed by ensuring that at least 50 % of the pigs’ dry matter intake on an annual basis comes from the pig-rearing area (Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont, Molise, Umbria, Tuscany, Marche, Abruzzo and Lazio).
The fresh legs of pork used to produce ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ must come from the offspring of:






a)


boars of the traditional breeds Italian Large White, Italian Landrace and Italian Duroc, as improved by the Italian Herd Book, either purebred or crossbred between them, and sows of the traditional breeds Italian Large White and Italian Landrace, either purebred or crossbred between them;










b)


boars of the traditional breeds mentioned in a) and crossbred sows or sows of other genetic types provided that these are bred under selection and/or crossbreeding schemes involving the breeds Large White, Landrace or Duroc for the production of heavy pigs, the aims of which are compatible with those of the Italian Herd Book;










c)


boars and sows of other genetic types provided that these are bred under selection and/or crossbreeding schemes involving the breeds Large White, Landrace or Duroc for the production of heavy pigs, the aims of which are compatible with those of the Italian Herd Book;










d)


boars of the other genetic types mentioned in c), and sows of the traditional breeds mentioned in a).




The fresh legs of pork used to make the product may not come from:






—


boars or sows;










—


the offspring of boars or sows not covered by categories a), b), c) or d) above;










—


pigs carrying unfavourable traits, in particular susceptibility to stress (Porcine Stress Syndrome or PSS).




The fresh legs of pork used for the production of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ must come only from carcasses classified as ‘H – Heavy’, with a carcass weight of between 110,1 kg and 180,0 kg, and graded ‘U’, ‘R’, or ‘O’ on the European Union scale for the classification of pig carcasses.
The fresh legs of pork used to make ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ have the following characteristics: A sample taken from the upper and lower layers of the subcutaneous panniculus adiposus shows a fat firmness represented by an iodine value of not more than 70 and/or linoleic acid content not exceeding 15 %. The thickness of the fat around the outside of the trimmed fresh leg of pork, measured vertically from the tip of the thighbone, is not less than 22 mm. When delivered to the curing facility the leg of pork weighs between 11,8 kg and 18,0 kg to allow the minimum curing time of 14 months. The area known as the ‘corona’ has sufficient fat to prevent the rind from coming away from the layer of muscle below. The amount of exposed muscle above the tip of the thighbone is no more than 9 cm (‘short trimming’).
3.4.   Specific steps in production that must take place in the identified geographical area

All stages in the production of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’, from the salting of the fresh legs of pork to the completion of the drying process, must take place in the ‘typical production area’, which is located in the province of Parma in the Emilia-Romagna region.
3.5.   Specific rules concerning slicing, grating, packaging, etc. of the product the registered name refers to

Once it has been marked with the logo and/or the alternative means of identification referred to in point 3.2, ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ may be marketed as whole bone-in or boneless hams, as packed portions of different weights and shapes, including half-hams, or as sliced ham in suitable packing.
With a view to safeguarding its quality, traceability and authenticity, ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ may only be sliced and packed in the ‘typical production area’ referred to in point 4 below. The PDO’s identifying symbol must be displayed on the packing in a way that prevents it from being removed or erased, as set out in point 3.6 below. This rule is essential to preserve the quality characteristics of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ and ensure full product tracking and traceability.
Pre-packed sliced ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ may be presented in the ‘classic’ format or the ‘take-away’ format. Different labelling requirements and minimum durability periods apply to these two formats.
When kept at a temperature of between 0 °C and 10 °C, ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ in the ‘classic’ format must have a water activity value no higher than 0,91 and less than 60 % moisture content, and can have a minimum durability period of up to 180 days.
When kept at a temperature of between 0 °C and 25 °C, ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ in the ‘classic’ format must have a water activity value no higher than 0,90 and less than 60 % moisture content, and be obtained from hams weighing up to 9,5 kg that have been cured for at least 18 months. It must be packed using interleaving, and can have a minimum durability period of up to 30 days.

                  ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ in the ‘take-away’ format must be kept at a temperature of between 0 °C and 10 °C and have a water activity value no higher than 0,91 and less than 60 % moisture content. Its minimum durability period is limited to 25 days.
3.6.   Specific rules concerning labelling of the product the registered name refers to

The first element used to identify ‘Prosciutto di Parma’, which, although not part of the labelling, distinguishes it on the market, is the ‘ducal crown’ logo (a logo branded onto the hams and comprising the image of a five-pointed crown and the place name ‘Parma’). It is a mark that both identifies and qualifies ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ and performs the double function of setting the product apart from other types of prosciutto crudo ham, giving assurance as to its authenticity, and also guaranteeing that the product has been through all the required production stages and that all of these stages have been recorded by the operators involved.
Use of the designation of origin is lawful only if this logo – and/or alternative or additional means of identification as referred to in point 3.2 – is present. Without it, the product may not be labelled with the designation and it may not be included on the packing, in sales documents or during trade (whole bone-in or boneless hams, as packed portions of different weights and shapes, including half-hams, or as sliced ham in suitable packing).
The following labelling information is mandatory for ‘Prosciutto di Parma’:






—


For whole bone-in ‘Prosciutto di Parma’:






a)


the name ‘Prosciutto di Parma’, accompanied by the European Union PDO symbol, must appear on the front label in the main visual field, clearly standing out from all other text on the label;










b)


the list of ingredients: pig meat / pork / leg of pig / leg of pork and sea salt;










c)


the business name – and/or brand name – and address of the ‘producer curing facility’ or the ‘marketing curing facility’.














—


For boned and packed ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ (whole hams, half-hams or portions):






a)


the name ‘Prosciutto di Parma’, accompanied by the European Union PDO symbol, must appear on the front label in the main visual field, clearly standing out from all other text on the label;










b)


the list of ingredients: pig meat / pork / leg of pig / leg of pork and sea salt;










c)


the address of the packing facility;










d)


the curing start date, stating at least the month and year, if the seal affixed at the start of curing and/or any equally indelible and non-removable alternative means of identification used are no longer visible.










e)


the business name – and/or brand name – and address of the ‘producer curing facility’ or the ‘marketing curing facility’.














—


All packs of sliced ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ – whether in the ‘classic’ or the ‘take-away’ format – must have a standardised section of the upper left-hand corner displaying the following ‘ducal crown’ logo:









as well as the packer identification code and the following information:






a)


the words Prosciutto di Parma - denominazione di origine protetta ai sensi della legge 13 febbraio 1990, n. 26 e del Reg. (CE) n. 1107/96 [‘Prosciutto di Parma’ – protected designation of origin under Law No 26 of 13 February 1990 and Commission Regulation (EC) No 1107/96];










b)


the address of the packing and slicing facility;










c)


the curing start date as shown on the seal.




With the exception of disossato (boneless) and affettato (sliced), the sales name may not be qualified by any descriptive terms – such as ‘classic’, ‘authentic’, ‘extra’ or ‘super’ – or any other terms or attributes.
4.   Concise definition of the geographical area

The ‘typical area’ in which the ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ ham-making process takes place is located in the Province of Parma in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. This area comprises a portion of that province located at least 5 km south of the road known as Via Emilia, extending south until it reaches a maximum altitude of 900 metres. The Enza and Stirone rivers form the area’s eastern and western boundaries, respectively.
The geographical area from which the raw material can be procured is larger than the ‘typical area’, and comprises the administrative territory of the following Italian regions: Emilia-Romagna, Veneto, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Lombardy, Piedmont, Molise, Umbria, Tuscany, Marche, Abruzzo and Lazio.
5.   Link with the geographical area

The specific characteristics of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ are strongly dependent on the environmental, natural and human factors in the local area, which also play an essential role in guaranteeing that high quality, health and food safety standards are upheld. The characteristics of the raw material are – and have been since Etruscan times – specific to the geographical macro-area of central and northern Italy, including the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region. Thanks to unique environmental conditions that cannot be reproduced elsewhere and the local population’s particular talent – as evidenced by the large number of family-run ham-making businesses still operating today – a small pocket of this territory developed into the ‘typical production area’ of ‘Prosciutto di Parma’. Parma is situated at the heart of what was once Cisalpine Gaul, whose inhabitants reared large herds of pigs and were particularly skilled in the production of salted hams.
The location of this ‘typical area’ gives it unique ecological, climatic and environmental conditions: the sea winds from the Versilia area of the Tuscan coast subside as they pass through the olive groves and pine forests of the Val di Magra, then dry as they cross the Apennine passes, acquiring the scent of chestnut groves, before reaching the production area to dry ‘Prosciutto di Parma’ and lend it its unique mild flavour.
The development of the rearing of heavy pigs slaughtered at an advanced age determines the stages in this process. It begins with the use of local, indigenous breeds, proceeds in line with environmental, social and economic circumstances – in particular cereal farming and dairy production, which have shaped feeding practices – and gradually culminate in the natural and unique productive outcome, the PDO product.
Ham and the method used to produce it are referred to in various documentary sources from over the centuries, and a reference to the current production area can be found in Chamber of Commerce lists from 1913. What was at first a purely artisanal activity has evolved into an industrial process, but one that still preserves the product’s traditional characteristics.

Reference to publication of the product specification


https://www.masaf.gov.it/flex/cm/pages/ServeAttachment.php/L/IT/D/1%252Fd%252Fd%252FD.3b7ff37531fc6304dd40/P/BLOB%3AID%3D18907/E/pdf?mode=download



(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/27 of 30 October 2024 supplementing Regulation (EU) 2024/1143 of the European Parliament and of the Council with rules concerning the registration and the protection of geographical indications, traditional specialities guaranteed and optional quality terms and repealing Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (OJ L, 2025/27, 15.1.2025, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_del/2025/27/oj).


ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2025/4525/oj
ISSN 1977-091X (electronic edition)