October 17, 2014

EU study hopes to convert food wastes into animal feed

A research being funded by the EU hopes to convert agricultural wastes among member countries into animal feed.

Called NOSHAN, the project seeks to reduce Europe's dependence on feed imports and cut down environmental impact at the same time by tapping bio-waste as animal food resource.

The project is also expected to generate employment in feed production, waste collection and at treatment plants.

"Projects like NOSHAN bring together researchers and businesses to boost our economy and our quality of life in a sustainable manner", said EU Research, Innovation and Science Commissioner Máire Geoghegan-Quinn.

She said the less urbanized parts of Europe, where livestock productions are concentrated, are certain to welcome the outcome of the project.

NOSHAN is working towards recycling food waste, specifically dairy, vegetables and fruit, into animal feed. 

Such innovation, she says, will help reduce competition between the food and feed sectors in the exploitation of natural resources, immediately easing the otherwise  intense demand for land and water.  

The project will also be looking into functional feed ingredients, obtained from food waste, which target specific animal needs, such as health promotion or disease prevention.

Since 2012, a database of potential feed ingredients has been expanding.

The research study is scheduled to be completed in 2016. By then, researchers would have determined the best technologies to be used in processing each waste type.