INnovative Tools for Assessment and Authentication of chicken meat, beef and dairy products’ QualiTies: a living lab approach

Summary in the original language of the document

This contribution presents preliminary results of the INTAQT project (EU Horizon 2020), which aims to perform an in- depth multi-criteria assessment of the relationship between animal husbandry systems and the quality of animal products. In specific, this research aims to identify and implement on-farm changes in the production processes (e.g. feeding regimes, outdoor access, herd management), which are expected to improve intrinsic quality traits of the products and/or sustainability traits of the farms. A participatory approach was used to establish farmer field-groups (living labs) representative of the different geographic regions and of the main production systems involved in the project. Each farmer field group involves 5 farms. The groups are established considering different husbandry systems according to a gradient of intensification (extensive vs intensive systems): 3 groups for dairy farms (Ireland, northern Italy and France); two groups for beef farms (Switzerland and northern Italy); two groups for poultry (France and Italy). The methodological approach is based on 5 steps: 1 -starting analytical phase: a critical analysis of trade-offs / synergies between sustainability and quality traits for each farm-field group; 2 – decision phase: development of practices to improve the identified synergies / mitigate trade-offs; 3 – implementation phase: implementation of practices for at least one year; 4 – concluding analytical phase: analysis and presentation of the effects of the practices during a last meeting in the farmer’s groups; 5 -scientific data analysis and interpretation. Different innovative solutions are tested in each living lab. Some case studies will be presented to evidence the potential contribution given by living labs network to the improvement of food
quality and sustainability.