The Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA) organized a technical workshop at their facilities on the past December 17^th, 2015. In the event, IRTA presented the results of a research study aiming at modelling the salt uptake process, in the production of dry-cured ham. The study, carried out in the framework of an European Research Project (www.procured.eu), showed the importance of monitoring the fat content in raw hams, to control the salt content in the final product.

Fratelli Galloni, one of the leading Parma ham producing companies at Italy, has been continuously working in the improvement of the quality of their products, and the control of their salt content. In collaboration with Lenz Instruments, Fratelli Galloni is working in the optimization of their production process, to achieve highest quality Parma hams, with reduced and more standardized salt content.

On the past October 8^th (2015), the Stazione Sperimentale Industria Conserve Alimentari (SSICA) organized a technical workshop at their facilities at Parma. The workshop was aimed at providing a comprehensive review on the use of new meat inspection technologies to improve the production process of dry-cured ham. The event was attended by tens of representatives of Parma ham and San Danielle ham producing companies.

The optimization of the salting process is important for dry-cured meat producers to ensure a standardized product quality, to successfully achieve a reduction in the average salt content, and to avoid weight losses during drying. Current salting processes relies on establishing the optimum salting conditions based only on the weight of each meat piece, which leads to an homogeneous salt uptake in the final product.

Metal recycling industry is struggling to develop efficient methods for sorting non-ferrous metal scrap. In the framework of a European Collaborative Research project, we are investigating new technologies based on spectroscopic and electromagnetic methods, for sorting metal scrap according to its composition. The objective of the project is to prove the feasibility of using these techniques for sorting non-ferrous scrap into different metal fractions.

Foodtech Innovation Portal is a Wikipedia-like portal that provides access to information about technologies, profiles of research institutions and companies as well as infrastructure in Europe and worldwide.

European Research project «PIGSCAN» (GA: 31213) has officially started on March 1st 2013. Lenz Instruments has hosted the kick-off meeting of this project, which aims at developing a new pig carcass grading technology based on magnetic induction technology. Besides enabling the classification of the carcass according to the S/EUROP standard, the project aims also at assessing the fat content of primary cuts in the carcass.

Lenz Instruments has participated in an event organized by the Scientific and Technological Committee of the Bayonne ham, in which most recent non-destructive technologies for meat quality assessment were presented. The meeting was held on the past December 18th, at Arzacq (France), and was organized by Pyragenna.

Past October 2nd, the Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria delle Conserve Allimentari (SSICA) organized a training event, which joined tens of local producers of dry cured ham from the region of Parma.

The last edition of «Barcelona Tecnologías de la Alimentación (BTA)» trade fair was celebrated in May ’12, and has brought together manufacturers and users of food processing machinery.