Summary
This review, authored by a broad consortium of Italian and European researchers, critically evaluates alternative protein sources — including insect meal, algae, legumes, and single-cell proteins — as ecologically driven substitutes for conventional feed inputs such as soybean meal and fishmeal in livestock and aquaculture systems. It contextualises these alternatives within the broader sustainability challenges facing animal production chains, including resource efficiency, land use, and circular economy principles. The paper likely synthesises current evidence on nutritional adequacy, feasibility, and environmental trade-offs, offering a framework for prioritising alternative ingredients in feed formulation.
UK applicability
The findings are broadly applicable to UK livestock and aquaculture sectors, where regulatory frameworks around novel feed ingredients (including insect-derived proteins) are evolving post-Brexit, and where there is growing policy interest in reducing reliance on imported soy and improving the circularity of food and feed systems.
Key measures
Feed ingredient sustainability indicators; protein source nutritional profiles; environmental impact proxies (e.g. land use, greenhouse gas emissions); animal performance parameters where reported in reviewed literature
Outcomes reported
The review examines the ecological and nutritional potential of alternative protein sources — such as insects, legumes, algae, and single-cell proteins — as replacements for conventional feed ingredients in animal production. It assesses their role in improving the environmental sustainability of animal feeding systems across multiple species.
Topic tags
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