A ham page may show several numbers: 80 g, 50% Iberian or a price per kilogram. Each answers a different question. The Iberian percentage describes the breed ancestry of the animal the product comes from; read it alongside the full designation to understand your choice.
50%, 75% and 100% refer to Iberian breed ancestry. Bellota, cebo de campo and cebo give different information about feeding and rearing. None replaces the net weight.
The number describes the animal, not a mix of slices
The Spanish Iberian standard distinguishes 100% Iberian products from Iberian products from permitted crosses. Within that framework you will find 50%, 75% and 100%. This is not the fat content of a slice, the amount of ham in the pack or a blend of different hams inside it.
- 50% Iberian: the breed percentage for one of the regulated crosses.
- 75% Iberian: another breed percentage covered by the standard.
- 100% Iberian: Iberian breed purity with the standard's pedigree requirements.
Read breed and feeding separately
Bellota, cebo de campo and cebo belong to the feeding and rearing information. A 50% breed percentage does not mean the animal ate 50% acorns. Equally, 100% Iberian on its own is not enough to establish bellota feeding.
Break the designation into three questions: ham or shoulder, which feeding and rearing category, and which breed percentage? If a detail is unclear in the page or photo, ask for the full label before deciding.
Jamones Paco Heredia for this article
Current selection from the related collection. Check format, weight and directions on each product page.
Jamones Paco Heredia
Current selection from the related collection. Check format, weight and directions on each product page.
View the collection →Two packs with the same net weight
cebo ham, 50% Iberian, and bellota ham, 100% Iberian, each contain 80 g. Weight is the same; feeding category and breed percentage change. A comparison between them therefore cannot attribute every difference to breed percentage alone.
No calculation is needed: 80 g is net quantity, 50% or 100% is breed ancestry, and cebo or bellota is another part of the designation. identifies the commercial brand.
The selection follows the Jamones Paco Heredia catalogue. Editorial photographs illustrate formats; check the collection for current products and their details.
Use the information for a clearer comparison
Clarify the designation first, then compare format, quantity and price. For choosing between bellota products, our 50% or 100% bellota buying guide brings together the purchase questions.
Explore ham to buy or 80 g ham and shoulder packs. Keep the three questions in mind when changing presentation: packaging does not replace the designation.
Sources for checking the terminology
Iberian standard: designation, labelling and identification (BOE).