In the framework of the III Dry Cured Ham World Congress, we are going to discuss widely and carefully all the issues that arise the maximum interest for the present and future of the sector.In order to make the Congress lively and dynamic, we are going to plan ten full plenary monographic sessions, including lectures, round table discussions and lecture written reports, together with presentations in poster format.The main goal of the Scientific and Organising Committees is to host among our guests experts internationally recognized, not only from the scientific-technical point of view but also from the commercial, entrepreneurial and food aspects.

SUMMARY OF THE MAIN ISSUES TO DEAL WITH:

· Production of the raw material, with the breaking up of new models of pig selection aimed at Dry Cured Ham, effects of the feeding in the quality of grease, methods 'on line' in the classification of Ham and different complete systems for the certification of quality.
· Different Certification and designing methods carried out by D.O. ( Origin labelling or certification Teruel, Quality Rule for the Iberian Ham, E.T.G. Ham Serrano and other models in the European Community).
· Health and Safety in the production of Dry Cured Ham: Strategies to play down the biotic and abiotic risks ( food safety).
· Senses Characterization applied to dry cured ham (standardization, revision and comparison of the different methods to define an standard methodology of assessment).
· Sharing information about the different ham production technologies in Europe.
· New technologies in the commercialisation of ham (system of slicing in order to increase the useful life of the product).
· Markets arising in the commercialisation: Consumer goods fashion all over the world.
· Consequences of the dry cured ham consumption on the human health.
· The culture of Ham ( anthropology, sociology and gastronomy).