Reduction of antibiotic use with grape extracts

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Grape seed extracts may help reduce the use of antibiotics in farm animals

The NeoGiANT initiative, led by the University of Santiago de Compostela (Spain), has achieved significant progress in its goal of reducing dependence on antibiotics in animal farming.

This initiative presents innovative solutions that leverage the widely recognized and powerful antimicrobial and antioxidant properties found in grape seed extracts. This is attributed to their rich assortment of phytochemicals, particularly their abundance of phenolic compounds. These solutions aim to develop enhanced animal feeds, treatment products, and organic sperm preservatives tailored for use in both livestock and aquaculture.

Project partners produce high-value natural antimicrobial and antioxidant products using low-cost polyphenols extracted from white grape pomace biomass. NeoGiANT’s product range includes animal feed, treatment solutions, and sperm extenders that meet the current demand for more affordable natural functional products from alternative sources.

NeoGiANT’s approach focuses on sustainability at three different levels: environmental (through the use of green technologies and agri-food by-products), economic (through an economical and waste-free production process), and social (through support for the growth of local producers).

18 MONTHS OF GROWTH

Over the past 18 months, notable advancements have been made in the project. Numerous extracts, utilizing a range of solvents, have been generated, fine-tuned, and expanded. This encompassed a thorough examination of their polyphenolic composition. Solid components for animal feed and prototype formulations targeting prevalent diseases in animal production were conceived, acquired, and subjected to testing following in vitro assessment and characterization of antibacterial efficacy. The application of extracts for sperm preservation underwent testing as well, revealing that laboratory-scale production outperformed laboratory extracts.

Since the project’s inception, the consortium has collaborated in various workshops and events with other European projects, conducting 14 events or actions so far. Additionally, it has joined 13 partnership activities with other EU projects and published the first collection of Practical Abstracts in the EPI-AGRI format. Furthermore, specific stakeholders have been identified, and a knowledge transfer strategy for Latin America has been developed. Two scientific publications on the bioactive extraction of grape pomace and antibiotic resistance can be found on the project’s website.

In the course of PR1, modifications were made to the composition of the External Advisory Board, facilitated with support from the EU and Ukrainian researchers, and this involved the addition of two new consultants.

Source:

Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

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