(ThePoultrySite) - Waste products from the food industry represent growing challenges as consumer consciousness develops about the environmental, social and political context of meat production.

This was the remit of a study presented by Eleni Kasapidou at the British Society of Animal Science (BSAS) Annual Conference at Nottingham University on Wednesday.

The investigation looked at utilizing ground and dried grape pomace on the sensory characteristics of broiler meat during refrigerated storage.

Although used as a fertilizer on some vineyards, grape pomace is generally seen as waste. Mrs Kasapidou and her team are keen to see what can be done to utilize this product which essentially the grape seed, skins and stems in animal nutrition.

“Grape pomace is common in Greece and other wine producing areas,” said Mrs Kasapidou. “Globally, we produce around 10 million tons annually which raises utilization questions. Surely we must do something with it, not just dump it like many wine producers currently do.”

The antioxidant activity of wine by-products in muscle foods has been reported in various studies. If lipid oxidation can be reduced then meat quality deterioration can also be limited, she added.