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The growing world population and rising income in developing countries create more demand for animal products. However, natural resources such as land, water, and nutrients are not boundless. As a consequence, competition of resources in food and feed production is an issue to be confronted with. One promising solution is relocating food losses into animal feeding, propelling the course of sustainability and circular economy in the livestock sector. Given this scenario, former food products (FFPs) represent great opportunities. Instead of ending up in landfill or compost, a better destination for FFPs is to be used as feedstuffs to replace traditional ingredients. FFPs are foodstuffs not accepted by the human market but have several advantages enabling them to enter swine feeding programs. FFPs are mainly composed of processed and readyto- eat food products such as snacks and bakery goods. Thanks to industrial processing and their product type nature, FFPs are rich in easily digestible starch, simple sugars, fat, and energy contents comparable with cereal grains. Based on their nutritional features, 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 and heat treatments which can affect not only the availability of nutrients and the kinetics of digestion, but also gastro-intestinal health and animal response. On fresh matter basis, FFPs can substitute conventional feed ingredients up to 30 % in the diets of pigs. Starting from post-weaning piglets, FFP-based diet is able to maintain piglet growth without substantial effects on hindgut microbiota. In growing-finishing pigs, FFP-based diets at a 30 % inclusion level support growth performance of pigs without altering their nutrient and energy deposition efficiency, live body and carcass composition, and general meat quality traits. When considering liver proteome and plasma peptidome of pigs fed such diets, minor modulation occurs. To sum up, while maintaining the performance and wellbeing of pigs, the use of FFPs up to 30 % to replace classic feedstuffs represents a great potential in: i) mitigating food-feed competition, ii) re-distributing valuable food losses to livestock sector to produce animal protein, and iii) reducing environmental footprints resulting from animal production. All these aspects point out important concepts under the principles of circular economy and resilience enhancement in livestock farming, namely, making the most of resources to build a regenerative food system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of Former Food Products (FFPs) as feed ingredients is already documented in swine, as well as their beneficial nutritional value. To date, FFPs extra-nutritional bioactive effect in feed has not been elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (AOC) in six samples of FFPs extracted by different solvent systems. After methanol and acetone extraction, total phenolic content and AOC were determined in FFPs and wheat sample (CTR) using Folin–Ciocalteu and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid)-ABTS assay, respectively. Results demonstrated that FFPs samples were characterised by an average amount of total phenolic content of 129.3 ± 15.1 mg tannic acid equivalents (TAE)/100g in methanol extracts and 156.4 ± 25.8 mg TAE/100g in acetone extracts. Whereas, the ABTS assay revealed that FFPs showed also anAOC of 138.0 ± 14.3 mg Trolox Equivalent (TE)/100 g in methanol extracts and 173.3 ± 18.8 mg TE/100 g in acetone extracts. Former Food Products represent relevant sources of phenols and antioxidant compounds, which can be beneficial for animal health.Highlights Former Food Products (FFPs) reprocessing is a way to convert food losses into ingredients for animal diets; Valuable content of total phenolic compounds and notable antioxidant capacity were observed in FFPs after extraction with methanol and acetone; FFPs demonstrated to be a source of bioactive compounds with extra-nutritional activities which can be beneficial for animal health.

The increasing global need to find alternative protein/energy sources has triggered research in the field of non-conventional feed ingredients, with insects and former foodstuffs being the most promising. Insects contain high level of protein and fat, whereas former foodstuffs contain high energy in the form of carbohydrates and fats; therefore, both should be considered as promising alternative feed ingredients for livestock production. In addition to the nutritional value, they also represent a way by which food waste biomasses/streams can be upgraded to valuable feed ingredients. This review outlines the main nutritional and safety issues of insects and former foodstuffs, and also considers the legal framework involved. The importance of the type of insect metamorphosis and tailored substrates that could lead to the production of a premium feed is also described. This is also the first time that a review discusses the nutritional quality of former foodstuffs. Energy and the main nutrient content of former foodstuff are compared with the composition of common cereals as the principal energy sources in animal feed. For both ingredients a critical review of the safety issues is provided. Based on the current data available, both insects and former foodstuffs have an excellent potential use as alternative feed ingredients for livestock production. When produced in line with the criteria set by major feed/food authorities, they are characterized by high quality and safety standards. This makes them comparable to other feed materials and ingredients currently available on the market, although their full nutritional, functional, safety and sustainability evaluation cannot be considered complete.

The application of Former Food Products (FFPs) as feed ingredients is already documented in swine, as well as their beneficial nutritional value. To date, FFPs extra-nutritional bioactive effect in feed has not been elucidated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate and compare the total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity (AOC) in six samples of FFPs extracted by different solvent systems. After methanol and acetone extraction, total phenolic content and AOC were determined in FFPs and wheat sample (CTR) using Folin–Ciocalteu and 2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline 6-sulfonic acid)-ABTS assay, respectively. Results demonstrated that FFPs samples were characterised by an average amount of total phenolic content of 129.3 ± 15.1 mg tannic acid equivalents (TAE)/100g in methanol extracts and 156.4 ± 25.8 mg TAE/100g in acetone extracts. Whereas, the ABTS assay revealed that FFPs showed also anAOC of 138.0 ± 14.3 mg Trolox Equivalent (TE)/100 g in methanol extracts and 173.3 ± 18.8 mg TE/100 g in acetone extracts. Former Food Products represent relevant sources of phenols and antioxidant compounds, which can be beneficial for animal health. Former Food Products (FFPs) reprocessing is a way to convert food losses into ingredients for animal diets; Valuable content of total phenolic compounds and notable antioxidant capacity were observed in FFPs after extraction with methanol and acetone; FFPs demonstrated to be a source of bioactive compounds with extra-nutritional activities which can be beneficial for animal health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of former food products (FFPs) as alternative feed ingredients in farm animal diets has several benefits. In fact, FFPs are a way of converting losses from the food industry into ingredients for the feed industry. FFPs are produced from packaged food and in general, they are recognised as safe. Packaging materials are not accepted as a feed ingredient according to Regulation (EC) No 767/2009, which imposes a rigorous evaluation of possible residues. A sensitive and objective detection method is therefore essential for an effective risk evaluation. Six FFP samples were subjected to electronic nose analysis. Each sample was assessed under three conditions: as-received, cleaned and experimentally-spiked. Packaging remnants were also quantified using a stereomicroscope. Data were analysed via principal component analysis using SPSS software. Although the stereomicroscopy analysis showed a low content of packaging remnants in as-received samples, the electronic nose was able to differentiate between cleaned, as-received and spiked samples. However, this method was not effective when different FFPs were analysed together. In the view of the limitations of this method, it can be concluded that the electronic nose can be considered an objective and sensitive method for the detection of packaging remnants in FFPs composed of the same matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing global need to find alternative protein/energy sources has triggered research in the field of non-conventional feed ingredients, with insects and former foodstuffs being the most promising. Insects contain high level of protein and fat, whereas former foodstuffs contain high energy in the form of carbohydrates and fats; therefore, both should be considered as promising alternative feed ingredients for livestock production. In addition to the nutritional value, they also represent a way by which food waste biomasses/streams can be upgraded to valuable feed ingredients. This review outlines the main nutritional and safety issues of insects and former foodstuffs, and also considers the legal framework involved. The importance of the type of insect metamorphosis and tailored substrates that could lead to the production of a premium feed is also described. This is also the first time that a review discusses the nutritional quality of former foodstuffs. Energy and the main nutrient content of former foodstuff are compared with the composition of common cereals as the principal energy sources in animal feed. For both ingredients a critical review of the safety issues is provided. Based on the current data available, both insects and former foodstuffs have an excellent potential use as alternative feed ingredients for livestock production. When produced in line with the criteria set by major feed/food authorities, they are characterized by high quality and safety standards. This makes them comparable to other feed materials and ingredients currently available on the market, although their full nutritional, functional, safety and sustainability evaluation cannot be considered complete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Former food products (FFPs) are foodstuffs that, even though they are nutritious and safe, have lost their value on the human consumption market for different reasons, such as production errors leading to broken or intermediate foodstuffs, surpluses caused by logistical challenges of daily delivery, or any other reason. The nutritional features of FFPs include carbohydrates, free sugars, and possibly also fats. FFPs tend to have been processed through various technological and heat treatments that impact the nutrients and the kinetics of digestion, as well as animal response and, particularly, gastro-intestinal health. This review integrates some of the most recently published works about the chemical composition, nutritional value, digestibility and glycaemic index of ex-foods. In addition, a view on the relationship between the use of FFPs and safety issues and their effects on pigs’ intestinal microbiota are also given.

With the diminishing availability of farmland, climate change and the threat of declining water resources, livestock needs to meet the growing demand for food and feed by using fewer resources. The re-use of food losses as sustainable ingredients for feed formulations could represent a promising alternative to cereal grains for both monogastrics and ruminants, increasing livestock sustainability and reducing the competition between animal and human nutrition. The acceptance of food leftover for feeding animals it is still far to be completely welcomed in several countries, where the outdated stereotypical image of the garbage used as feed is still existing. To implement this practice, a renewed image of food leftover as feed is needed, mainly disseminating the most recent findings about their properties, the new technologies applied for their production and their impact on the environment. This paper aims to disseminate a wide understanding of food losses and explores the potential benefits of using two main categories of food leftovers, namely former food products (FFPs) and bakery by-products (BBPs), as alternative feed ingredients in pig and ruminant nutrition. Several characteristics of those two categories of food losses are examined and compared to a standard diet, such as nutritional-related properties, safety, efficiency and environmental implications. The literature shows that both categories of food leftovers hold a significant nutritional value and are a sustainable alternative to traditional feed ingredients. They resulted as a low risk category for animal health. In addition, when used in complete feed to replace traditional feed ingredients, neither FFPs nor BBPs do not decrease animal's growth performances. These findings valorize food losses into animal feed as a well-suited strategy to contribute to a reduced environmental and climate footprint of animal products and food waste prevention. However, a greater participation by feed/food processors and stakeholders is crucial to allow the sector to increase its contribution in the entire EU food and feed chain. [Display omitted] • Food leftovers can contribute to the environmental sustainability of livestock. • Food leftovers like FFPs and BBPs have a high potential as animal feed. • FFPs and BBPs are nutritious, highly digestible and safe feed ingredients. • Food leftovers are suitable for monogastrics and ruminants' diets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This review focuses on the use of ex-foods, an alternative feed ingredient in farm animal diets, composed by processed and ready-to-eat food products no longer suitable for human consumption. Such foods, which are also called former food products, are usually buried in landfill sites, despite their high potential of being used as sustainable feed ingredients. In order to obtain proper balanced diets by using these alternative feed ingredients, several aspects have to be considered. In this respect, this paper aims to address the state of the art about food leftovers used in animal nutrition in general and in pig diets specifically. Former food products (FFPs) are foodstuffs that, even though they are nutritious and safe, have lost their value on the human consumption market for different reasons, such as production errors leading to broken or intermediate foodstuffs, surpluses caused by logistical challenges of daily delivery, or any other reason. The nutritional features of FFPs include carbohydrates, free sugars, and possibly also fats. FFPs tend to have been processed through various technological and heat treatments that impact the nutrients and the kinetics of digestion, as well as animal response and, particularly, gastro-intestinal health. This review integrates some of the most recently published works about the chemical composition, nutritional value, digestibility and glycaemic index of ex-foods. In addition, a view on the relationship between the use of FFPs and safety issues and their effects on pigs' intestinal microbiota are also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]