As you can learn from the news below the Spanish police is warning about the amount of fake Pata Negra sold both online and in restaurants. Just because you see the ham has a black foot (hoof) does NOT mean its a 100% Bellota Jamon Iberico AKA Pata Negra! Less than 1% of black hoof hams are actually Pata Negra. 

If you can avoid it, never buy vacuum-packed Pata Negra as its losing much of its fine tasting notes and umami flavors. Plus you will not be able to see the certification label on the leg. 

Pata Negra should be served freshly carved with all its acorn flavors and fat intact. The fat counts for over 50% of the tasting experience and is the whole reason why Pata Negra cost so much and why there are so many fake Pata Negra in circulation (can easily be compared to fake Cohiba cigars, where there is money to be made there are criminals damaging the market and taking advantage of you).

Watch out if the Green, Red or Black certification label has been removed from the Iberian ham. It takes a lot of experience to detect the difference. That's why European Ham Academy offer both Iberian Ham Masterclasses and Pata Negra Sommelier certification so you can detect and avoid fraud!

The Civil Guard has dismantled in Alcalá de Guadaíra a millionaire network that marketed fake Iberian shoulders for months. At the head of it, a businessman known as 'Bertín Osborne' for his resemblance to the public figure. The plot had ramifications in Cáceres, Valencia, Salamanca and Madrid.

The business consisted of turning low-quality pieces into fake pata negra hams using blowtorches, seed oil and natural charcoal, according to El Confidencial. The Civil Guard found 50 tons of this ham in two clandestine warehouses, many of them in poor condition.

As expected, the reactions have been immediate. Facua Andalucía has raised requests to the Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development to demand that, in coordination with the Nature Protection Service (Seprona), they provide "useful" information to consumers related to the network that marketed "fake pata negra hams and Iberian products" stored in the province of Seville without controls and health records.

In a statement, the association has reported that it has urged the regional authorities to, regardless of the legal proceedings that are currently open, provide information that allows consumers to identify if they have purchased any of the "supposedly Iberian" products intercepted by the Civil Guard in a warehouse.

Thus, Facua Andalucía has requested details about the brand or brands involved with this plot, suppliers, batch numbers if any, establishments where they were for sale, as well as any other service information that allows citizens to know if they have acquired, and should avoid consuming, any of these fake Iberian shoulders, hams and cured meats that lacked the mandatory health controls and records.

In addition, according to Facua, the network "has put public health at risk". The association recalled that Seprona, in the inspection, uncovered the "deplorable" conditions of the food seized in this warehouse in the province of Seville with "worms" and "totally covered in mold".

Added to this is the fact that the agents verified the lack of entry and exit registration of the products, as well as control in traceability or the modifications they made to the labels of the 2019 batches, which they had set 2030 as the best-before date to sell them on the market.

Likewise, the organization has reported that the network followed a scheme according to which they carried out fraud with food products by opening a warehouse and starting to work in it until a health inspection took place, they requested a few days of margin to collect the documentation, and when the inspectors returned they had already left for another place, where they reproduced the same procedure over and over again.

The businessman who has carried out these practices faces possible crimes against industrial property, fraud, against public health and document forgery.

The network has ramifications in the provinces of Cáceres, Valencia, Salamanca and Madrid, according to Facua, with companies that would be victims of fraud or that are being investigated as accomplices.

Source: https://www.foodretail.es/especiales/sector-primario/falsos-jamones-ibericos-fraude-nacional-bertin-osborne_0_1788121181.html

READ MORE: https://www.worldsbestham.com/2025/01/labeling-campaign-general-directorate.html

White label Jamon Iberico cost between EUR 100 to 200. The white label stands for the most common and accessible type of Iberian ham because it comes from farm-raised pigs fed mainly on cereals and legumes, without free roaming. While its flavour is milder and less complex, it still offers higher quality than non-Iberian hams. Ideal for everyday use or beginners. It has the same black "nail" as the Green, Red and Black label so watch out!

Green label Jamon Iberico cost between EUR 150 to 300. The green label indicates that is made from pigs that live outdoors and eat a mixed diet of grains, herbs, and natural pasture instead of acorns. Though less exclusive, their active lifestyle still produces good fat marbling and authentic Iberian flavour. This mid-range ham is more affordable and the most sold ham! Sometimes served as "Pata Negra" in restaurants, but it's not. For consumers it can be diffucult to see the difference if served sliced and the green label has been removed from the leg.

Red label Jamon Iberico cost between EUR 300 to 500. The red label ham comes from crossbred Iberian pigs (50–75% Iberian) that also roam freely and feed on acorns. Though not as exclusive as the black label, it still offers a rich flavour and high quality, with slight differences in taste and fat due to genetics. Red label hams are a more affordable way to enjoy the bellota experience and also can be found in renowned regions like the Sierra de Aracena and Los Pedroches in Córdoba.

Black label Jamon Iberico cost anywhere between EUR 500 to 1600 depending on a a lot of different factors; some special vintage editions can cost up to many many thousands of Euro. Iberian ham has been auctioned at staggering prices, ranging from 60,000 to 80,000 euros per piece! https://www.worldsbestham.com/2025/01/joselito-hams-joselito-name-synonymous.html

The highest quality Spanish ham is made from purebred Iberian pigs that roam freely in oak forests and feed on acorns. Thanks to this natural diet and active lifestyle, the ham develops a rich, nutty flavour and a melt-in-the-mouth texture. Furthermore, black label hams are cured for 36 to 48 months and represent the gold standard of Spanish charcuterie. For an authentic experience, one of the best places to try it is Jabugo, Huelva, a town renowned for its exceptional ham.

PATA NEGRA CLUB offer a wide variety of Pata Negra hams from all four areas of Spain, including artisan cheeses and speciality wines at our events. We only source from certified local farmers in Spain.  

Join our exclusive Pata Negra Sherry Weekends to Jeréz and Jabugo to experience everything first hand. The Best or Nada!

YES, Iberian ham is gluten-free and we can arrange for gluten-free bread with the ham.