The nutrient composition of animal-derived food products depends on many factors:
(i) endogenous ones, such as species, breed, physiological stage and individual variability and (ii) exogenous ones, such as farming system, animal diet and storage conditions, as well as on the interactions among them. Animal diet has been recognized a prominent role. Animal diet modulation is an efficient strategy to obtain animal-derived food products characterized by biofunctional activity and healthy potential, meeting the recent evolution of consumers’ expectations.
The specific objectives of the research group are:

• the identification of nutritional and management strategies characterized by low environmental impact and high social and economic sustainability (e.g., grazing systems, use of agro-industrial by-products and other innovative feed ingredients) for the improvement of the nutraceutical properties of animal-derived food products and their valorization on the market,
• the efficient application of the principles of Circular Economy in animal nutrition.

• "L’insetto come fonte proteica in alimentazione animale: effetti sulle performance di crescita e sulla qualità dei prodotti". Ricerca Locale, Università degli Studi di Torino. Responsabile Scientifico: Dr. Manuela Renna.
• "ProRumInsect - Les insectes: sources de protéines alternatives et durables pour les ruminants". Département PHASE “Physiologie Animale et Systèmes d'Elevage” – INRAE. Responsabile Scientifico: Dr. Gaelle Maxin.
• "CELLOW-FeeP. Circular Economy: Live Larvae recycling Organic Waste as sustainable Feed for rural Poultry". Fondazione Cariplo; Responsabile Scientifico: Prof.ssa Luisa Zaniboni.
• "SUSINCHAIN - Sustainable Insect Chain", H2020-SFS-2019-1; Responsabile Scientifico: Prof.ssa Laura Gasco. "From Waste to Farm: insect larvae as tool for welfare improvement in poultry" – EIT food platform (EU). Responsabile Scientifico: Prof. Achille Schiavone.
• "Làit Real - Il Latte Nobile delle Alpi piemontesi come strumento per migliorare la competitività delle aziende agricole montane". Ricerca finanziata dalla Regione Piemonte – Direzione Agricoltura; Responsabile Scientifico: Prof. Giampiero Lombardi.
• "PIAS - Proteine da Insetto in Avicoltura Sostenibile". Ricerca finanziata dalla Regione Piemonte – Direzione Agricoltura; Responsabile Scientifico: Prof.ssa Laura Gasco.

• Renna M., Ferlay A., Lussiana C., Bany D., Graulet B., Wyss U., Ravetto Enri S., Battaglini L.M., Coppa M. - Relative hierarchy of farming practices affecting the fatty acid composition of permanent grasslands and of the derived bulk milk - (2020) Animal Feed Science and Technology 267: 114561.
• Renna M., Brugiapaglia A., Zanardi E., Destefanis G., Prandini A., Moschini M., Sigolo S., Lussiana C. -  Fatty acid profile and meat quality of beef from double-muscled Piemontese bulls fed ground flaxseed - (2019) Italian Journal of Animal Science 18 (1): 355–365.
• Dabbou S., Gasco L., Lussiana C., Brugiapaglia A., Biasato I., Renna M., Cavallarin L., Gai F., Schiavone A. - Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) larvae inclusion in diets for free-range chickens: effects on meat quality and fatty acid profile - (2019) Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, in press.
• Renna M., Schiavone A., Gai F., Dabbou S., Lussiana C., Malfatto V., Prearo M., Capucchio M.T., Biasato I., Biasibetti E., De Marco M., Zoccarato I., Gasco L. - Evaluation of the suitability of a partially defatted black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae meal as ingredient for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) diets - (2017) Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology 8: 57.
• Dabbou S., Gai F., Renna M., Rotolo L., Dabbou S., Lussiana C., Kovitvadhi A., Brugiapaglia A., De Marco M., Helal A.N., Zoccarato I., Gasco L. - Inclusion of bilberry pomace in rabbit diets: effects on carcass characteristics and meat quality - (2017) Meat Science 124: 77–83.
• Renna M., Lussiana C., Cornale P., Battaglini L.M., Fortina R., Mimosi A. - Effect of ruminally unprotected Echium oil on milk yield, composition and fatty acid profile in mid-lactation goats - (2016) Journal of Dairy Research 83: 28-34.
• Iussig G., Renna M., Gorlier A., Lonati M., Lussiana C., Battaglini L.M., Lombardi G. - Browsing ratio, species intake, and milk fatty acid composition of goats foraging on alpine open grassland and grazable forestland - (2015) Small Ruminant Research 132: 12-24.
• Belforti M., Gai F., Lussiana C., Renna M., Malfatto V., Rotolo L., De Marco M., Dabbou S., Schiavone A., Zoccarato I., Gasco L. - Tenebrio molitor meal in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diets: effects on animal performance, nutrient digestibility and chemical composition of fillets - (2015) Italian Journal of Animal Science 14: 670-676.
• Renna M., Lussiana C., Cornale P., Fortina R., Mimosi A. - Changes in goat milk fatty acids during abrupt transition from indoor to pasture diet - (2012) Small Ruminant Research 108: 12-21.
• Renna M., Cornale P., Lussiana C., Malfatto V., Fortina R., Mimosi A., Battaglini L.M. - Use of Pisum sativum (L.) as alternative protein resource in diets for dairy sheep: effects on milk yield, gross composition and fatty acid profile - (2012) Small Ruminant Research 102 (2): 142-150.

• Prof. Luca Battaglini (DISAFA)
• Prof. Laura Gasco (DISAFA)
• Dr. Carola Lussiana (DISAFA)
• Prof. Antonio Mimosi (DISAFA)
• Dr. Paolo Cornale (DISAFA)
• Prof. Riccardo Fortina (DISAFA)
• Prof. Alberto Brugiapaglia (DISAFA)
• Mrs. Vanda Malfatto (DISAFA)
• Prof. Giampiero Lombardi (DISAFA)
• Prof. Michele Lonati (DISAFA)
• Dr. Simone Ravetto Enri (DISAFA)
• Dr. Francesco Gai - Institute of Sciences of Food Production, National Research Council, Turin, Italy
• Dr. Mauro Coppa - Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR 1213 Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
• Dr. Gaelle Maxin; Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, VetAgro Sup, UMR 1213 Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France
• Dr. Ueli Wyss; Agroscope, Ruminants, Rte De La Tioleyre 4, Posieux, FR, 1725, Switzerland
• Dr. Massimiliano Probo; Agroscope, Grazing Systems, Nyon 1, 1260, Switzerland