Pork
Today, the EU is the second pork producer (after China) and the largest exporter of pork and pork products in the world. This was achieved thanks to the strong foundations of pig farming in Europe and the highest standards in the world for safety, quality, traceability and animal welfare.
Pork is very versatile It can be eaten both freshly cooked and cured or preserved. Dry cured hams have been produced using only pork, sea salt, fresh mountain air and time in Europe for 2000 years. Spain’s most widely consumed ham, Jamón Serrano PGI has a taste that is intense and complex, with dominating woody and nutty notes that are paired with balanced sweet and savoury flavours. The taste of Presunto de Barrancos PDO ham from Portugal is pleasant and mildly salty with a slightly piquant aftertaste. Jambon de Bayonne PGI is a dried, boneless ham from south-eastern France that matures for at least seven months and is salted using salt from a local river basin. Jambon d'Ardenne PGI is a Belgian ham with a tender and a delicate taste featuring a distinctive aroma and hazelnut flavour notes. These are just a few examples of the array of pork products that can be found in all 27 countries in the European Union.
