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.