Ham of Bayonne
In France, each operator of pork chains must collect and record information required by mandatory regulation about identification and traceability. Information is register usually by using document paper. Farmer held a book information (“registre d’élevage” or farm registry) which contains all input information relatives to the farm, (piglet, sow, boar, finishing pig, feed pig), genetics, sanitary (vaccine, medicaments) and health of pigs. Pig farmer can also use computer system (automated information, software database) and internet web based system.
The pig professionals’ players with support of the ministry of agriculture have set up in 2006 a computer National Database called BDPORC (Professional Pork Database) used for information management.
BDPORC is created to record any animal’s movement, relative input and output in sites, and pig transport to slaughterhouse. Registration of pig movements became a mandatory regulation since 2008.
Its objectives are to facilitate pig identification proceedings, to trace pork chains (pig and pig meats). In addition, BDPORC is a tool of health monitoring in order to prevent and limit the spread of disease, to respond effectively to health incidents. BDPORC centralized pig sector information and facilitate information management for the pork operators.
BDPORC is accessible by internet via www.agranet.fr by using a subscriber code and pass word. Agranet is internet portal for pig farmers. Registration of others operators must be made by written demand firstly and a commission decides theirs membership agreement.
This national database is managed by BD PORC Association which is responsible mainly of update and monitoring/control of input data.
Data collected concerns: identification of pork and pork product, traceability, sanitary health information, and quality scheme.
Many links of the chain is involved like farmers, producer groups, abattoirs, transport. Moreover, some organization in pork sector can notify information in the database like veterinarian, interprofession, responsible of regulation application, department of “equarissage” (department in charge of died pigs).
Farmers can directly record their information by using agranet portal. In other way, pig farmers can register information in document paper and send it to the operator in charge of the informatic registration of data like EDE and producer group in no more than 7 days. Data are stock up in BDPORC during 5 years.
Specifically for Bayonne Ham, different types of information are exchanged regarding spefications like identification and origin of pork, traceability of ham, composition of pig feed and product quality and safety of food.
Information exchange are company to company:
Breeding company-Pig Farmers
Feed-Company- pig farmers
Veterinarian-Pig farmers
Pig farmers/Cooperative-Transport -slaughterhouse
Slaughterhouse-processor
Processor-retail
Exchange information exist also between Consortium and its members (players) about meeting planning, process improvment, market development, communication, and control relation. Moreover, body in charge of control exchanges information (regarding conformity with specifications) with each players during their monitoring in sites. Collected control information are exchanged with the Consortium which is in charge of follow up and corrective measures in case of non compliance. Control document and audit are usually document paper.
For Ham of Bayonne chain various information on products and processes among different stages of the chain are recorded and exchanged between players in order to respect its specifications and consumer expectation as regard to food safety in one hand, and in another hand to achieve product quality. Traceability organization is very important in the chain. Indeed, to insure traceability different stamping (marking) are apposed to the product (pig, fresh ham, and processed ham) and various corresponding documents are collected and recorded throughout the supply chain (farms to processors). This is completed by the monitoring and audits by Consortium of Bayonne Ham and the body control. Support tool for communication and for understanding pork chain like video library, photo library and websites were developed by inter-organization and interprofession for pork chain information about regulation, quality scheme, and various proceedings, farming, processing…
In following tables are listed various information and different informations systems used in each link of the Ham of Bayonne chain:
- Breeder company/organization
- Feed producer
- Pig farmers/cooperative
- Veterinarian
- Transporter
- Slaughterhouse
- Processor
- Retail
For Bayonne Ham, the Consortium record document information about farm control, farm certification, quality control, physicochemical analysis and validation of labelling.
Information about quality and food safety control is through ABIOC laboratory for animal feed, pig health, and also for fresh ham and finished ham analysis. Indeed different analysis results of ham are hold, used and exchanged with slaughterhouses and processors:
- Ham sensory analysis (texture, colour, smell, taste),
- Physical chemistry and biochemistry analysis
- Follow up of fatty acid and protein during process
- Food bacteriology: hygiene condition
- Sensory analysis for ham from processing unit
- Molecular biology unit: for detecting pathogenic
- Salmonella and Listeria analysis
PYRAGENA research centre and experimental station does also controls of ham during its process and insure homogeneity of ham. In addition, PYRAGENA hold information about process improvement, food hygiene technology, hygiene and food security, control and quality management. Database information system is used for physical chemistry, sensory analysis, and biochemistry.
