Ex-food in animal nutrition: potential and challenges

The use of alternative feed ingredients in farm animal diets is interesting from several perspectives. Ex-foods, also known as Former Food Products (FFPs), are one way of converting losses from the food industry into ingredients for the animal feed industry, thereby keeping nutrients in the food chain. Based on nutritional data reported for humans, these materials are extremely rich in carbohydrates, free sugars and, depending on their origin, also in fats. In addition, FFPs are often characterized by a high degree of processing including technological (milling, etc.) and heat treatments (cooking, extrusion, etc.) which affect not only the availability of nutrients and the kinetics of digestion but also impacts on GIT health and the animal response. In order to use these materials in animal feeding and nutrition, a comprehensive evaluation is required in terms of composition, digestibility, functionality and also efficiency.