One of the certificates issued by OCA Global for agri-food products is the Serrano Ham TSG (Specifications for the Traditional Specialty Guaranteed - TSG - Serrano Ham) approved by Regulation (EC) 1204/2008.
This seal refers not only to the origin, but also to the composition or traditional way of elaboration of the product. Thus, for a food to receive this seal, it is essential that it has been made from traditional raw materials, has a traditional composition, or is made / processed in a traditional way.
Since 2006, the company Incarlopsa (Industrias Cárnicas Loriente Piqueras S.A.), through Secalsa (Secaderos de Almaguer S.A.), a group entity, has benefited from this certification. Incarlopsa is the majority supplier to the supermarket chainMercadona for fresh, cured and Iberian pork products, and with this certificate you can give added value to your ham.
During the audit, all the requirements for complying with the Serrano Ham TSG were studied, such as the production method, compliance with the minimum curing period, environmental parameters, labeling and identification, and traceability. Samples were also taken for analytical control in an accredited laboratory, including two types of analysis:
- Physical-chemical: moisture, fat, chlorides, aqueous content, moisture gradient, salinity.
- Sensory: color, color homogeneity, glossy appearance of fat, aroma and taste, texture