Charcuterie food safety – what makes it safe to eat
Emma Milne
Charcuterie food safety is essential since many charcuterie products although ready to eat, are uncooked and often stored at room temperature. For most high protein foods this would be a recipe for food poisoning(!) So why is charcuterie different?
What makes charcuterie safe?
Charcuterie is a term typically used to describe dried, fermented or cured meats such as prosciutto, salami, serrano ham, chorizo. It relies on natural preservation methods.
The two most critical food safety factors are acidity and water activity:
- Acidity (pH): Lowering the pH of meat through curing or fermentation inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. A pH of below 4.6 prevents the growth of most harmful bacteria.
- Water activity (aw): Reducing available water in meat through drying also inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria. A water activity of below 0.85 prevents most harmful bacteria.
Proper control of these factors creates an inhospitable environment for harmful bacteria (pathogens) such as Clostridia, Staphylococci, Salmonella, Listeria, and E. coli bacteria.
How do additives help with charcuterie safety?
Curing salts and preservatives also play a crucial role in charcuterie food safety.
- Nitrates and nitrites interfere with how bacteria build protein so that they cannot grow. These preservatives in particular prevent the growth of Clostridium botulinum. However do not exceed the legal limits for curing agents, as high levels of nitrates/nitrites can be harmful.
- Sodium chloride (table salt) reduces the water activity thus inhibiting growth.
- Starter cultures contain harmless bacteria that outcompete harmful microbes for food so they cannot multiply. They often produce acid as the meat ferments which lowers the pH and reduces the growth of harmful bacteria further.
Why is a HACCP required to produce charcuterie?
HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points and is a systematic method of ensuring that you have considered what could go wrong and how to prevent that happening. By law, you need to record a HACCP plan if producing these foods as a business.
Depending on the product, acidity and water activity might be used to control charcuterie food safety in isolation, in combination with each other or, in combination with other controlling factors such as temperature and additives.
Food businesses need to identify the harmful bacteria that may be present, what is needed to prevent their survival and then set limits of acceptability. This information can be provided by a food safety consultant and/or peer reviewed scientific research. The National Craft Butchers Association has also provided a Primary Authority Assured Charcuterie Guide for their members and regulators to refer to.
How do I check and prove charcuterie food safety?
Validation testing and regular monitoring of these limits of acceptability will ensure charcuterie is safe to eat. Typical checks include acidity test using a pH meter, water activity using an aw meter or monitoring weight loss, and microbiological testing of food samples.
Records of these checks should be kept for three years to show to regulators when inspecting, and to prove due diligence should something go wrong.
What factors can affect the safety and quality of charcuterie?
Charcuterie production requires strict hygiene and controlled processing conditions. Here are some factors that you should consider.
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Ingredients
- Source meat only from reputable suppliers who follow strict food hygiene protocols.
- Ensure it is free from contamination, such as faecal matter, bone dust, or hair.
- Avoid meat with poor pH balance (e.g., Pale Soft Exudative (PSE) or Dark Firm Dry (DFD) meat) as it affects preservation effectiveness.
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General hygiene
- Practice good personal hygiene and proper handwashing.
- Clean and sanitise food contact surfaces and equipment before and after use.
- Maintain separate storage areas for raw and finished products.
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Temperature control
- Store raw meat at 0°C to 4°C to reduce bacterial growth before processing.
- Cure meat between 3°C and 5°C to enable uptake of the salt but prevent spoilage.
- Ferment meat between at 18–24°C to ensure proper acidification.
- Dry meat between10–18°C and ensure stable humidity.
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Airflow and humidity
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- Poor airflow causes uneven drying, leading to spoilage or case hardening (where the outer layer dries too quickly, trapping moisture inside).
- Maintain humidity between 75–80% to prevent excessive moisture loss or mould overgrowth.
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Mould management
- While some moulds are beneficial, uncontrolled mould growth can produce harmful toxins in the product that can be cancer-causing.
- Wipe excess mould with vinegar and clean cloths.
- If using mould cultures, do not apply potassium sorbate, as it inhibits both good and bad moulds.
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UV light for pathogen reduction
- Some creators use UV lighting in curing rooms to reduce surface bacteria.
- Ensure UV exposure is controlled, as excessive use may dry out products.
How do I store charcuterie products?
Once charcuterie is cured and dried, proper storage is essential:
- Ambient-stable products: Store at cool, dry temperatures (below 18°C).
- Refrigerated charcuterie: Maintain at 0–8°C and prevent moisture build-up.
- Vacuum packaging: Reduces oxygen exposure but may result in Clostridia growth if shelf life and/or temperature is not carefully controlled.
Label all products according to legal requirements including batch codes to ensure traceability in case of a product withdrawal or recall.
Conclusion
Ensuring food safety in charcuterie production is a combination of science, hygiene, and quality control. Safer Food Scores are food safety specialists, please contact us for more information on the services that we can offer.
Any guidance given in our articles is not official and Safer Food Scores can take no responsibility if the information is used to form part of any legal or regulatory compliance for your business. However, please do get in touch if you are interested in our support services and would like to benefit from official guidance relating to your particular circumstances, email [javascript protected email address]
