HACCP FOR IBERICO DRY-CURED HAM

The Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points concept was studied du ring the manufacture of ''Iberico'' dry-cured ham using traditional me thods. From a microbiological point of view the Iberian dry-cured hams studied had a hygiene status as good as cooked York hams. The water a ctivity decreased continuously during the process and was found to bei ng to inhibit micro-organisms (aerobic mesophiles, psychrophiles, Micr ococcaceae, lactic aci bacteria, Clostridium botulinium, total colifor ms, faecal coliforms, Salmonella, Shigella, Enterococci, Enterobacteri aceae, Brochothrix thermosphacta) five months before the end of the cu ring process.