Division 5.1 Specificity of the geographical area

The environmental factors are closely linked to the features of the production area, predominantly comprising valleys which are cool and abundant in water and wooded hills, all of which have a decisive influence on the climate and on the characteristics of the finished product. The localised production of ‘Prosciutto Toscano’ is justified by the conditions of the defined microzone: he landscape and geographical features of the Tuscany region make it ideal for the production of high-quality hams. Even the climate, which is very different from that of neighbouring regions, is particularly suitable for optimum ageing of the product. It is therefore a climate which is ideal for establishing a beneficial link between the environment and typical regional products, enabling slow and healthy ageing of products such as wine, olive oil, cheese and, of course, ham. In that environment human activity has made it possible to perfect specific processing techniques for trimming or salting which are better suited to the environmental features and which have been preserved up to the present day to influence decisively the characteristics of ‘Prosciutto Toscano’ referred to under point 3.2.