Consumo pro capite reale di carne suina

Per Capita Actual Consumption of Pork A method for the estimation of the real consumption of pork in Italy, expressed in quantity of fresh meat instead of carcass weight equivalent, was developed. The calculation of the amount of pork per capita available for consumption, was carried out in reference to the year 2013 in order to produce a methodology applicable also to different years by means of the calculation of appropriate conversion coefficients. The calculation of consumable meat in the reference year, was based on the quantity of meat derived from pigs slaughtered in Italy and the differential balance between domestic import and export of fresh pork, frozen and variously processed meat products. To convert the weight of carcasses into lean meat, the data of the carcasses submitted to commercial grading for lean meat content were used. Instead, to convert the different cuts into lean meat we used the available scientific literature and consultation of experts. For the processed products, a very heterogeneous category, it has been necessary refer to the quantity of original fresh meat in order to have data as homogeneous as possible. For this aim, using the literature data when available or by consultation of experts, a conversion coefficient was applied for each category. This coefficient takes into account the average weight decrease due to seasoning or processing and the eventual addition of salt (for a fixed rate of 3%). Subsequently the coefficient of the fresh meat content was applied at each cut to obtaining the consumable meat. Coefficients that can be applied to individual commercial categories for conversion into consumable meat are provided. Considering the waste of 2% at retail level and the loss of 10% at consumption level, over the six-year period from 2010 to 2015, in Italy the real consumption of pork per capita appears essentially stable, with a slight increase in 2015. The average value is of 17.52 kg per capita per year (48 g per day), ranging from 17.17 kg in 2013 to 18.27 kg in 2015. The estimated actual consumption of pig meat is 46-47% of the apparent consumption (ISMEA) based on "carcass weight equivalent" data.