Being categorised by the World Health Organisation as a cause of cancer might be bad enough, but being lumped in with English bangers and bacon has prompted a particularly outraged response from the guardians of Italy’s sacred tradition of Parma ham.

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“Prosciutto di Parma isn’t a processed meat or a sausage, but a product that is matured over a long period of time,” the Guardian was told by a spokesperson for the Parma Ham Consortium, a 55-year-old organisation of producers who use and safeguard the traditional processing method used in what is a staple of Italian kitchen tables.

“This new research on red meat is the latest in a long list of similar studies on different and numerous substances that have all been linked to the same evaluation,” the spokesperson said. “Without wanting to debate the merits of how this research defines ‘processed meats’, it is important to be clear on several aspects so to not create meaningless alarmism.”



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The spokesperson added that Parma “isn’t a normal ham” but “DOP”, referring to the list of Italian products with a protected designation of origin. “It is controlled, genuine and completely natural. No additives or preservatives are used to prepare it. Its success is due to not just its taste, but the fact that it is part of a balanced and complete diet.”

Parma was a healthy product containing vitamins, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants – making it a unique food product in a healthy and balanced diet, “including for kids, old people and athletes”, the spokesperson said.