The quality of raw and cured hams as affected by the dietary replacement of soya bean meal with alternative protein sources

Protected Designation animal foods (PDOs) and animal products deriving from organic systems are both strongly tied to local agricultural tradition and territory. Due to this fact, and with particular regard to animal feeding, a clear preference should be given to locally grown vegetable ingredients. Italy, as well as many other European countries, imports up 90 % of its soya requirement from the United States and Brazil (Mordenti and De Castro 2005). Since the most part of imported soya is genetically modified, some Italian and European associations of producers have taken a cautions stance towards these organisms (GMOs) and have banned their use in some animal production chains (Van Vliet 2004). With respect to organic production, the use of GMOs is forbidden by law (EEC 1991). The current trial was aimed at studying the main qualitative parameters of raw thighs and cured hams derived from heavy pigs fed a diet in which soya bean meal was totally replaced by non-conventional vegetable protein sources.