A total of 29 meat companies of Catalonia have been incorporated into a joint project of r & d led by the Catalan Federation of industries of meat (FECIC), funded in two million euros. This project aims to get cured sausages traditionally matured to adapt to new consumer habits, that go more for less dry products, containing salt, lonchados and packaged low and maintain food safety and quality. This whole process of investigation carried it out the unity of technology and food safety of the
food technology (IRTA) and Research Institute of Monells (Girona). The project, which has been baptized under the name of 'embumad', has a funding of EUR 2 million granted by the Centre for Industrial technological development (CDTI).
The production of sausages cured in Catalonia represents a very important part of the meat industry. You just have to see the production data of the year 2010, which were placed around 85,000 tonnes, which means 40% of the total number of Spain. With regard to export figures, last year the Catalan companies exported 32,800 tons of this type of meat products, representing 70% of the national total, having presented an increase of 116% in relation to the year 2009.