Press Release of INNO.TRITION Project: “Innovative use of olive, winery and cheese waste by products in animal nutrition for the production of functional foods from animals”

The INNO.TRITION Project skype meeting was successfully held on 19^thDecember 2019.The INNO.TRITION Project, which is implemented from April 2019 and will last 24 months, is co-funded by the Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme 2014-2020, by European Union, thought the European Regional Development Fund (E.R.D.F.) by the National Funds Greece and Italy, with a total budget of 602,725.25 Euro. TheProjectfacesthecommonchallengeofusingagro-industrywastesofmassivelyproducedsuchasOlive, Winery and Cheese by products, in both (Italy and Greece) in animal nutrition for the production of bioactive feed ingredients and functional foods for animals in a sustainable and eco-friendly way.

The meeting was attended by all project partners (Chamber of Arta as Lead Partner, University of Ioannina –Department of Agriculture, University Aldo Moro of Bari and National Research Council – Institute of Sciences of Food Production (ISPA)). The Project team has recognized the work done so far is with connection to its main objective, that is to produce higher quality products, using low cost ingredients (from waste), in an innovative way thus rendering the local agro-industry more competitive and on the other hand, preserving the environmental by reducing agro-industry wastes of the industries involved.

In particular, the meeting provided a detailed description of all the methodologies used to create the silage from olive leaves, olive oil, grape and cheese waste. The final product will be evaluated qualitatively and will be tested in animals (broilers, laying hens, pigs, sheeps and goats), checking the possible role in growth parameters, zootechnical parameters and meat quality aspects.

The next meeting between the partners is planned for March 2020, awaiting the first results of the qualitative evaluation.

Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme is an European Territorial Cooperation Programme that aims to help public institutions and local stakeholders to develop cross-border projects and pilot actions and to create new policy, products and services, with the final goal to improve the citizens’ quality of life. Strategically, the programme will enhance innovation in a number of fields such as blue growth, tourism and culture, agro food and cultural and creative industries. Interreg V-A Greece-Italy Programme aims to get maximum return from EUR 123 million financed per 85% by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and per 15% by the 2 member states through a national co-financing.