Objective The objectives are summarized as follows : 1. Genetic of autochthonic populations 2. Feeding in pre-fattening outdoor 3. Management of natural resources in fattening outdoor 4. Biochemical and technological qualities from meat and fat 5. Adaptation to technological transformation 6. Characteristics of products during ripening 7. Approaching to marketing and consumers testing. Pig production is an important economic activity in some underdeveloped Mediterranean areas and is based on sylvopastoral systems in which natural resources such as acorns and chestnuts are exploited, with due regard to conservation of the environment. The object of the project was to secure improvement in quality of dry cured products through a number of specific approaches. These included genetic improvement of the local breeds used, feeding and prefattening outdoors, use and management of natural resources in fattening outdoors, improvement of the biochemical and technological definition of characteristics of products during ripening and improvement of marketing, with attention to consumer testing. Surveys have been carried out of producers of the Alentejo breed (Portugal) and of the local breed in Corsica, on extensive farms to identify the selection practices used. The influence of farming conditions, that is, both feed and environment have been studied on the growth rate of the animals and on the charcteristics of the meat and fat. Some prefattening and fattening feeds have been the subject of experiment and the carcasses and tissues obtained are being analysed. Health problems, particularly viruses and parasites, have been studied. With respect to characterization of products during ripening, a series of hams are undergoing controlled processing. A methodology is being worked out for the approach to marketing and consumer testing. This must take into account both local and export markets.Pig production, which is an important economic activity in certain underdeveloped southern areas of different countries belonging to EEC, is based on the explotation of natural resources such as acorns, chesnut etc. and has been dedicated to be transformed into a wide range of dry cured products of high quality. Basically, this project tries to create scientific and technical references that allow to improve agricultural situation in those areas and increase the revenues obtained by people involved in this activity. The whole study and the final conclusions will lead to zootechnic improvement in fattening outdoor period as well as its relation with the characteristics of dry cured products obtained from them. The project is also concerned about conservation of natural resources since pig's pasturage revalue them and contribute to the improvement in the environment. This all will supply the Common Market with non excedentaire products. Fields of science natural sciencesbiological sciencesmicrobiologyvirology Programme(s) FP2-CAMAR - Research and technological development programme (EEC) in the field of competitiveness of agriculture and management of agricultural resources, 1989-1993 Topic(s) Data not available Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme Data not available Coordinator CENTRE INTERNATIONAL DE HAUTES ETUDES MEDITERRANEENNES EU contribution No data Address Apartado 22 50080 ZARAGOZA Spain See on map Total cost No data Participants (5) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) France EU contribution No data Address 20250 Corte See on map Total cost No data Istituto Zooprofilattico Spermentale Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Fratelli Kennedy 2 08100 Nuoro See on map Total cost No data Servicio de Investigacion Agraria de la Junta de Extremadura Spain EU contribution No data Address Apartado-Finca La Orden 22 06080 BADAJOZ See on map Total cost No data Universidad de Evora Portugal EU contribution No data Address Apartado 94 7000 EVORA See on map Total cost No data Universidad de cordob-Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenior Agronomos Spain EU contribution No data Address Avda. Menendez Pidal 14080 CORDOBA See on map Total cost No data