Animal feed plays a leading role in the global food industry and
it is the largest and most important component to ensure the sustainable production of safe and affordable animal proteins.
Rapidly growing populations, along with increased urbanization and income, are expected to rise the consumption of animal products by 70% in 2050. The increase in animal production will require an additional amount of feed to be produced. The challenge is not only to meet the growing demand for feed but to ensure its safety.
Feed safety is a prerequisite for food safety and human health, as well as a necessity for animal health and welfare. It is a component of access to trade, income generation, and economic sustainability. In addition, it contributes to feed and food security and decreases feed losses. In fact, feed is an integral part of the food chain and its safety has been recognized as a shared value and a shared responsibility. Feed production must thus be subject, in a similar manner as food production, to the quality assurance of integrated food safety systems.