FA0802 : the hub for Feed Food and health

The COST Action Feed for Health has addressed several scientific topics during the last three years. From a practical point of view three main scientific fields can be identified: feed- and animal nutrition; food of animal origin (FOA) quality and functionality and consumers' perception. In this context a general scientific output of the Action is that not all FOA are the same. Milk, as a functional food has been investigated in more depth than meat and eggs. The network activities have been based on the premise that the feed selected to produce FOA on the farm determines the concentration and composition of bioactive molecules in the final product, and hence the effect on human health. FA0802 provides a unique opportunity for linking animal science with social science. From this point of view It is generally accepted that consumers prefer animal products from livestock systems that used animal feed safe for consumers, friendly to the environment and the animals. Furthermore health and sustainability are issues that show both similarities and overlap with regard to products, consumer segments and consumer behaviour, imposing to the scientific community multidisciplinary approach.