The amount of food going to 'waste' in the UK has hit the headlines, but the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) points out that the livestock feed industry is already working hard to recover some of the potential nutrition and reduce loss to landfill.
 

Recent years have seen considerable effort go into developing supply chains to recover the the potential nutritional value of foodstuffs that can no longer be used for human consumption.
 

"Each year sees hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food, technically referred to as 'former food', moving into the livestock feed market," says George Perrott, AIC's Feed Sector Head. "It is good news for all concerned as it recovers the nutritional content of food and provides economic feed sources for livestock farmers.
 

"The industry has come a long way in setting and raising professional operating standards. Along the supply chain from food packers and retailers through feed processors and merchants to the farm, there are assurance schemes that are joined up to ensure the safety of the ingredients being used to feed animals and the quality of meat and other livestock products being produced."
 

Challenges for processing foodstuffs into animal feed include ensuring only permitted foodstuffs are used and avoiding the presence of packaging and associated materials in finished feed.
 

AIC manages both two assurance schemes that provide codes of practice for processing and transport of 'former foods' and is in the process of creating a specific association to focus on the growing former food sector.
 

"FEMAS covers the assurance requirements for all animal feed ingredients regardless of their country of origin and the Universal Feed Assurance Scheme (UFAS) which aims to protect human and animal health by ensuring safe practice in manufacture and distribution of feedstuffs. AIC is also in the process of setting up a new association focused on former foods," explains AIC Technical Manager Simon Williams.
 

UFAS joins up with the Red Tractor Assurance Scheme that sets standards for livestock farmers.