PhD in Veterinary Sciences for Animal Health and Food Safety

Contacts

Supervisor

Claudio Forte

Curriculum vitae

Curriculum Vitae

Phd thesis

Commercially processed former foodstuffs in poultry diet: a multidisciplinary approach

Poultry diets are primarily grain-based, and the competition for resources between feed and food has become a growing concern. Ongoing research strives to identify sustainable alternatives to conventional feed ingredients, such as corn and soybean meal, to replace their use in monogastric animal feed. In 2022, the European Commission endorsed the use of former foodstuffs (cFF) in livestock feed, defining them as food products that were originally manufactured for human consumption but are no longer suitable due to manufacturing defects, logistical reasons, or other factors, provided they do not present any health risks when used as feed. Europe processes approximately 5 million tons of former foodstuffs annually, offering a promising means to reduce the consumption of natural resources like water, decrease the carbon footprint, and reduce land usage in feed production. Despite this potential, substantial gaps remain in our understanding of the impact of cFF on poultry nutrition. Commercially processed former foodstuffs (cFF) are derived from intermediate, unfinished, and incorrect products from industries such as bakery, confectionery, and food manufacturing. These ingredients are mixed, ground, and dried to form feed ingredients that are commercially available under European regulations. Though these cFF are high in energy content due to the presence of sugars, starches, oils, and fats, there is limited research on their specific inclusion in poultry diets.

The primary objective was to evaluate broilers fed diets incorporating commercially processed former foodstuffs (cFF) as a substitute for corn, soybean meal, and soybean oil, including in vivo performance, liver gene expression related to lipid metabolism, gut health (including histomorphology and microbiota composition), and the impact of cFF on broiler meat quality and safety. To achieve this, a total of 200 one-day-old male Ross-308 broiler chicks were assigned to four dietary groups based on the level of cFF inclusion: a control group (cFF0) and three experimental groups with cFF substituted at 6.25% (cFF6.25), 12.5% (cFF12.5), and 25% (cFF25). Over the 33-day experimental period, the chicks were fed two-phase diets, and various parameters were measured, including growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), hematobiochemical profiles, liver gene expression, gut histomorphology, microbiota composition, and caecal volatile fatty acids and ammonia levels. Additionally, slaughter performance, meat quality, sensory evaluation, and microbiological changes during refrigerated storage were assessed.

The study found that incorporating cFF up to 25% did not negatively affect the growth performance of broilers, with a linear decrease in feed intake and improvement in feed efficiency (gain-to-feed ratio). The ATTD of dry matter improved with increasing cFF levels, although the ATTD of ether extract decreased. No significant differences were observed in liver gene expression related to lipid metabolism, but the cFF-fed groups showed altered hematobiochemical profiles, including higher cholesterol and triglycerides. In terms of gut health, cFF inclusion did not impact histomorphology, but there was an increase in Faecalibacterium abundance in the cFF25 group. Regarding meat quality, fatty acid composition was altered, with increased monounsaturated and saturated fats. Sensory analysis revealed no significant differences in overall acceptability, although some specific attributes, such as sourness and hardness, were affected. Meat microbiological analysis showed that the shelf-life of meat improved in the cFF25 group, with lower bacterial counts and improved storage stability during refrigerated conditions.Additionally, ammonia concentration decreased with higher cFF levels, suggesting potential environmental benefits. These findings demonstrate that incorporating up to 25% cFF in broiler diets is a viable strategy without compromising broiler performance, meat quality, or gut health. This research contributes to sustainable livestock production by addressing feed-food competition and promoting circular economy practices. Further studies are recommended to refine optimal substitution levels and assess long-term implications in commercial production systems.

 

 

Research activities

 

Academic role

Mentored a Resident at the European College of Veterinary and Comparative Nutrition (ECVCN) Residency class 2022-2024 (research project).

Period Abroad & Internship

• Curricular Internship (6 months) at Feed from food srl., Milan- Food inspection and safety laboratory in Italy.
• Curricular Internship (4 months) at Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University in Belgium, Meat science and animal science laboratory (LANUPRO, Ghent).

 

Full articles in ISI journals

1. Former foodstuffs in feed: a minireview of recent findings. K. Srikanthithasan, A. Giorgino, E. Fiorilla, L. Ozella, M. Gariglio, A. Schiavone, A.L. Martínez Marín, E. Diaz Vicuna, C. Forte. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. (2024) 31(16):23322–23333. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-32695-2.
2. Influence of age, gender, and willingness to adopt former foodstuffs on the perception of Italian farm animal veterinarians. E. Diaz Vicuna, K. Srikanthithasan, R. Odore, S. Massaglia, V.M. Merlino, A. Giorgino, L. Ozella, A. Schiavone, F.R. Massacci, J. Mota-Gutierrez, C. Forte. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. (2024) 11:1396807. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2024.1396807.
3. Dietary processed former foodstuffs for broilers: impacts on growth performance, digestibility, hematobiochemical profiles and liver gene abundance. K. Srikanthithasan, M. Gariglio, E. Diaz Vicuna, E. Fiorilla, B. Miniscalco, V. Zambotto, E.E. Cappone, N. Stoppani, D. Soglia, F. Raspa, J. Nery, A. Giorgino, R. Sala, A.L. Martínez Marín, J. Madrid Sanchez, A. Schiavone, C. Forte. Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology. (2024) 15(1):1–13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40104-024-01081-w.
4. Effects of dietary processed former foodstuffs on slaughter performance and meat quality in broilers. K. Srikanthithasan, M. Gariglio, E. Diaz Vicuna, M. Profiti, A. Giorgino, E. Fiorilla, M. Castrica, D. Miraglia, S. Dabbou, F. Gasperi, A.C. Barroeta Lajusticia, I. Altomonte, R. Roccatello, A. Schiavone, C. ForteItalian Journal of Animal Science. (2025) 24(1):440–456. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2025.2453547.
5. Effect of dietary commercially processed former foodstuffs on broiler meat microbiological quality, physico-chemical traits and shelf-life extension. K. Srikanthithasan, L. Menchetti, M. Castrica, D. Miraglia, C. Bianchi, A. Giorgino, E. Diaz Vicuna, E. Fiorilla, M. Gariglio, A. Schiavone, C. Forte. Applied Food Research. (2025). (Under revision).
6. Influence of commercially processed former foodstuffs on broiler gut health. K. Srikanthithasan, I. Ferrocino, F. Raspa, J. Nery, E. Colombino, D. Ippolito, M. Gariglio, E. Diaz Vicuna, E. Fiorilla, A. Giorgino, M.T. Capucchio, A. Schiavone, C. Forte. Animal. (2025). (Under revision).

Other publications on ISI journals achieved during the PhD program:

1. Black soldier fly larvae: a one health approach to investigate gut, and organ health and meat quality response in slow-growing chickens. Fiorilla, E., Ferrocino, M. Gariglio, F. Gai, V. Zambotto, L. Ozella, I. Franciosa, M. Giribaldi, S. Antoniazzi, F. Raspa, E. E. Cappone, D. Fabrikov, S. Pozzo, V. Bongiorno, A. Calissano, D. Ippolito, S. Bergagna, K. Srikanthithasan, C. Forte, M. T. Capucchio, and A. Schiavone (2024). BMC Veterinary Research 20:580 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04394-0. 

Abstracts of international congress

1. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Marta Castrica, Marta Gariglio, Elena Diaz Vicuna, Edoardo Fiorilla, Andrea Giorgino, Rosalba Roccatello, Sihem Dabbou, Flavia Gasperi, Achille Schiavone and Claudio Forte. Commercially processed bakery by-products in broiler diets: impact on performance and meat sensory attributes. RETASTE: 4^th International Conference, Heraklion, Greece (Oral presentation*, September 25-27, 2024).
2. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Andrea Giorgino, Marta Gariglio, Elena Diaz, Achille Schiavone, Edoardo Fiorilla, Stefania Bergagna, Ana Cristina Barroeta, Margherita Profiti, Claudio Forte. Bakery by-products in poultry diet: effects on performance, blood parameters and fatty acid profile of meat. 23rd European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition, Rimini, Italy. (Poster Presentation* on 21-24 June 2023).
3. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Elena Diaz Vicuna, Marta Castrica, Dino Miraglia, Edoardo Fiorilla1, Marta Gariglio, Sihem Dabbou, Andrea Giorgino, Ana C.B Lajusticia, Roser S. Pallarés, Achille Schiavone, Claudio Forte. Effects of the inclusion of bakery by- products in broiler diet on fatty acid profile and chemical properties of meat. ICOMST, Padova Italy. (Poster Presentation* on 20-25 August 2023).
4. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Sihem Dabbou, Rosalba Roccatello, Flavia Gasperi, Marta Gariglio, Edoardo Fiorilla, Elena Diaz Vicuna, Andrea Giorgino, Marta Castrica, Dino Miraglia, Achille Schiavone, Claudio Forte. Meat quality and sensory attributes of meat produced from broilers fed different percentages of bakery by-products inclusions. ICOMST, Padova Italy. (Poster Presentation* on 20-25 August 2023). 
5. K. Srikanthithasan, G. Andrea, G. Marta, E. Diaz Vicuna, E. Fiorilla, R. Rosalba, F. Gasperi, A. Schiavone, V. Massa, C. Forte. Processed former foodstuff based on bakery by-product included in compound feed diet destined to poultry can enhance broiler performance without impairing meat sensorial properties. 8th International Feed conference, Milan (Poster presentation, 9-10 October 2023).

Abstracts of national congresses

1. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Marta Gariglio, Edoardo Fiorilla, Andrea Giorgino, Lucrezia Dellepiane, Elena Diaz Vicuna, Dario Sola, Valentina Bongiorno, Stefania Bergagna, Achille Schiavone, Dominga Soglia, Federica Raspa, Claudio Forte. Dietary bakery by products can increase performance and sustainability in poultry farming. 25th congress ASPA 2023, Monopoli, Bari, Italy. (Oral Presentation* on 13-16 June 2023).
2. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Ilario Ferrocino, Federica Raspa, Joana Nery, Elena Colombino, Ippolito Dorotea, Marta Gariglio, Elena Diaz Vicuna, Edoardo Fiorilla, Jatziri Mota Gutierrez, Andrea Giorgino, Maria Teresa Capucchio, Achille Schiavone, and Claudio Forte. Effects of dietary commercially processed former foodstuffs on the gut ecosystem in broilers. 26th congress ASPA 2023, Turin, Italy. (Oral Presentation* on 17-20 June 2025).
3. Karthika Srikanthithasan, Marta Castrica, Claudia M. Balzaretti, Marta Gariglio, Edoardo Fiorilla, Valentina Bongiorno, Achille Schiavone, Claudio Forte, Dino Miraglia. Effect of bakery by-products inclusion in broiler diet on microbiological quality and physicochemical characteristics of meat. 76^th Convegno SISVET, Bari, Italy. (Oral Presentation on 21-23 June 2023). 
4. Ippolito Dorotea, Srikanthithasan Karthika, Colombino Elena, Diaz Vicuna Elena, Miniscalco Barbara, Bergagna Stefania, Gariglio Marta, Fiorilla Edoardo, Schiavone Achille, Forte Claudio, Capucchio Maria Teresa. Replacing soy and corn with bakery-by-product is former foodstuffs recycling sustainable for poultry health and production. 76^th Convegno SISVET, Bari, Italy. (Oral Presentation on 21-23 June 2023). 

Third mission: Game of Research abstracts

1. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Andrea Giorgino, Marta Gariglio, Elena Diaz, Achille Schiavone, Edoardo Fiorilla, Margherita Profiti, Claudio Forte (2022). Determination of growth performance and carcass yield of broilers fed different levels of bakery by-products. Game of Research, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy. (Oral Presentation* on 15th December 2022).
2. Karthika Srikanthithasan*, Ilario Ferrocino, Elena Colombino, Ippolito Dorotea, Marta Gariglio, Elena Diaz Vicuna, Edoardo Fiorilla, Jatziri Mota Gutierrez, Andrea Giorgino, Maria Teresa Capucchio, Achille Schiavone, and Claudio Forte. Influence of commercially processed former foodstuffs on broiler performance, gut histology, and caecal microbiota. Game of Research, Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Italy. (Oral Presentation* on 12th December 2024).

Publications

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