Using Non-Thermally Processed Grape Marc as a Feed Supplement in Pig And Poultry Under Stressful Conditions

The challenge

Grape marc (GRM) is one of the largest horticulture food loss streams in Australia (Ambiel et al., 2019). For every tonne of grapes crushed over 300kg of solid waste is produced (Bacic, 2003). A large proportion of GRM continues to be underutilised.

Some of the polyphenol compounds in GRM are shown to be beneficial for the intestinal health of pigs and poultry, especially under stressful conditions (Costa et al., 2022). Transforming this food waste into an alternative product such as an animal feed supplement could improve animal gut function in times of stress and potentially reduce the need for medicated antibiotics; furthermore, divert the waste from landfill.

Attempts have been made to reduce this wastage by finding alternative uses such as compost, fertilizer, or animal feed however, as GRM is naturally unstable this has limited its application in livestock production as compounds need to be highly stable for inclusion into animal feed. Additional research and development are needed in order to effectively convert significant amounts of GRM waste to high-value animal feed.

Our plan

GRETALS Australia Limited (GRETALS) has developed a non-thermal processing technology that improves the stability, bioavailability, and nutritional value of GRM. The overall objectives of this project are:

1. Transforming GRM, a major agricultural waste stream, into a valuable product and reducing food waste
2. Investigating the stability and value of non-thermally processed GRM by analysis of specific bioactive compounds
3. Using GRM as a feed supplement for pigs and poultry
4. Assessing gut health and performance in pigs and poultry under stressful conditions.

Achieving these objectives will promote the use of GRM as a valuable additive to improve animal feed formulations.

This project will be led by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA) through their research arm, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI), in collaboration with the Swinburne University, and supported by the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and GRETALS.

References:

1. Ambiel, C., A. Adell, P. Sanguansri, D. Krause, T. Gamage, R. Garcia-Flores, and P. Juliano. Mapping of Australian fruit and vegetable losses pre-retail. Available from CSIRO Research Publications Repository. https://doi.org/10.25919/5d28d8ba0fad5
2. Bacic, T. 2003. Recovery of valuable products from lees and integrated approach to minimise waste and add value to wine production, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
3. Costa, M. M., C. M. Alfaia, P. A. Lopes, J. M. Pestana, and J. A. M. Prates. 2022. Grape By-Products as Feedstuff for Pig and Poultry Production. Animals (Basel) 12(17)doi: 10.3390/ani12172239