Today we want to talk to you about health, quality, and food safety, and for this, since 2010, we have had an exceptional partner: the Spanish Association of Lactose Intolerance (ADILAC) . This organization recommends Aljoma hams and shoulders as 100% lactose-free products in all their formats and, therefore, suitable for consumption by people with lactose intolerance. ADILAC continues its important work in informing and expanding its reach, as demonstrated by the milestones achieved in its 2016 report, such as the first meeting of Spanish Associations of Allergy and Intolerance People for the creation of a national platform of patient associations, and the launch of the first study, "The Lactose-Free Product Buyer," in collaboration with AECOC. Internationally, it held a meeting with AILI, the Italian association of lactose intolerant people, for its integration into LIGN, the international platform that connects associations and initiatives worldwide through the website www.nolactose.org. In the technological field, the INFOLACTOSA app was selected as a finalist for best web application at the 2nd Somos Pacientes Awards (Farmaindústria), and it is also worth highlighting the more than 390,000 visits to its website www.lactosa.org. This outreach work has managed to attract more than 25 new brands from different sectors to the association in 2016. 
Our relationship with Adilac began seven years ago, and since then, the Aljomar Ham Quality Department has worked diligently to offer consumers healthy products suitable for everyone. The treatment Aljomar products, in this case our hams and shoulders , receive guarantees a 100% complete absence of lactose , which is eliminated through a careful washing and fermentation process. This procedure has been certified by an independent laboratory and accepted by Adilac, which considers our products to be of interest to its members. Therefore, our company displays the official 'Lactose-Free' seal on the packaging of its hams and shoulders and is firmly committed to promoting and collaborating on the association's initiatives and activities. For the rest of Aljomar products – chorizos, salchichones, lomos … – which do contain lactose, the quality department maintains a strict labeling policy, in accordance with RD 1169/2011 , so that allergens are highlighted in bold so that they are easily identifiable by the consumer.
Adilac has several informative seals with the NO LACTOSE mark to identify suitable and recommended products for lactose-intolerant consumers.
Lactose intolerance is not a serious illness, but it does significantly limit the daily lives of those affected. When lactose-intolerant people consume foods containing this sugar, they experience severe abdominal pain, gas, vomiting, diarrhea, and other symptoms. Around 80 percent of the world's adult population, and 15 percent of the Spanish population, suffers from lactose intolerance, a condition that affects the intestinal lining and prevents the digestion of lactose (milk sugar) due to a deficiency of an enzyme called lactase. Lactose is found primarily in milk and dairy products. However, it is also "hidden" in many processed foods, such as sausages, cold cuts, breads, purees, soups, and even as an excipient in most medications. This is where the main danger lies for lactose-intolerant individuals, hence the importance of labeling.
