The AUSARE project aims to optimize the reuse of food waste side streams and residual flows as circular animal feed for non-ruminant livestock by developing feasible and innovative supply chain concepts and technological solutions based on new sensing and sensor-data driven artificial intelligence (AI). Our approach will address, 1) the complexities of identifying, sorting, and selecting fractions of mixed food waste streams for their safe and sustainable use as circular feed ingredients, including the detection of unwanted components (contaminants, pathogens, packaging), 2) the sustainability impact of proposed new supply chain concepts, and 3) translating technological interventions into policy and business action. AUSARE will provide evidence on the economic and environmental benefits of utilizing novel technologies that will ensure the safe use of mixed waste streams, improving resource efficiency as well as opening new markets for the feed industry as well as the food supply chain, contributing to achieving the SDG 12.3 target of halving food loss and waste by 2030.

There are strong national, European, and global ambitions to eradicate food waste! However, given the current organization of our agri-food system, parts of our food will turn to waste. Causes include unnecessary strict date marking, issues with quality and shelf life of perishable products, recalled or rejected products, unsold / overstocked products, and many others. Next to prevention measures addressing these causes, the next step for the Dutch and international food supply chain (FSC), is to intensify the repurposing and valorization of these side streams the these. A key strategy which is gaining momentum is the (increased) use of mixed side streams from manufacturing, retail, and hospitality/food services as ingredient for circular animal feed. Valorization as animal feed reduces food waste levels as it brings back valuable resources into the agri-food system, and delivers social, economic, and environmental co-benefits.
Ongoing research (including PPPs) focus on varying issues regarding safety and nutrition in animal feed, processing technology, consumer acceptance, environmental impacts, and animal welfare, building up a scientific evidence base on the safe and sustainable use of currently under-used or not allowed side flows from the FSC. A particular challenge is presented by mixed side streams, potentially containing animal by-products, but also since their composition is complex and can also include packaging. There is little technology to date that can effectively and efficiently replace manual labor for the identification, selection and sorting required to process these former food products into feed.
It is expected that in the near future we will be able, allowed, and willing to significantly increase the use of these under-utilized mixed-waste streams in the Netherlands and Europe. While the necessary relaxation of current legal barriers is slowly gaining momentum on the European level, it is timely and urgent to consider the operational and technological challenges for upcycling and find pathways to build practicable solutions.