Division 3.3 Raw materials (for processed products only)

‘Salame Felino’ PGI is produced from pig meat in the manner described below:

• the animals used must be purebred pigs of the basic traditional Large White and Landrace breeds or animals derived from those breeds, as well as improved types as listed in the Italian Herd Book;

• also allowed are animals derived from the Duroc breed, as well as improved types as listed in the Italian Herd Book;

• animals of other breeds, crossbred or hybrid, are also allowed, provided that their carcasses come under classes U, R or O, as defined in the pig carcass classification table in Annex V to Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007, as amended;

• in line with tradition, animals carrying unfavourable traits, and in particular susceptibility to stress (PSS), are in any case not permitted; nowadays, such traits can be objectively detected in animals post mortem and in cured products;

• purebred Belgian Landrace, Hampshire, Pietrain, Duroc and Spotted Poland animals are in any case not permitted;

• the genetic types used must allow the achievement of high weights and good yields and, in any case, an average live weight per animal of 160 kg +/– 10 %;

• the minimum age at slaughter is nine months;

• boars and sows must not be used;

• the pigs must be slaughtered in an optimum state of health and completely bled;

• the cuts of meat used to produce ‘Salame Felino’ PGI must be pieces of choice muscle or fat tissue such as the forward part of the belly (testa di pancetta) and/or minced meat from under the shoulder (trito di banco (sottospalla)). The meat used must not have undergone any freezing.

The muscle and fat tissue must be carefully cleaned, with the soft adipose tissue and larger pieces of connective matter being removed.

The meat (muscle and fat tissue) used for ‘Salame Felino’ PGI must be put into a cold store at a temperature of not less than – 1 °C and arranged in such a way as to allow the muscle tissue to dry out well.

The mix must be minced using a meat grinder (fitted with perforated plates with 6-8 mm holes).

The meat must then be mixed with salt (2-2,8 %), whole pepper and/or pepper pieces (0,03-0,06 %) and ground garlic.

Use may also be made of:

• dry white wine, up to a maximum of 400 cl per 100 kg of meat, so as to accentuate the aroma and flavour;

• sugar and/or dextrose and/or fructose: 0-0,3 %;

• fermentation starter cultures: such starter cultures must be used in line with best practice, taking into consideration the specific characteristics of the starter cultures for ‘Salame Felino’. Their function is to develop the product’s aroma and flavour through their lipolytic and proteolytic effect, stabilising the colour and limiting acidification;

• sodium and/or potassium nitrate (maximum 300 mg/kg), sodium and/or potassium nitrite (maximum 150 mg/kg), ascorbic acid and its sodium salt (maximum 1 g/kg).