HORIZON-CL6-2025-02-FARM2FORK-04-two-stage

The National Research Development Institute for Biology and Animal Nutrition (IBNA) is Romania’s leading research institution dedicated to advancing knowledge and innovation in the fields of animal nutrition and feed & food sciences.

We have an integrated expertise at the crossroads of animal nutrition, antioxidant research, bioactive compound valorization, and food quality risk mitigation, with:

• Demonstrated in vivo animal trials using natural antioxidants

• Experience in the valorisation of agro-industrial by-products into functional feed

• Proven impact on reducing oxidative stress, replacing synthetic additives, and improving the shelf-life and safety of animal products.

We offer validated technologies, robust lab infrastructure for the research directions:

In vivo animal trials with validated outcomes on feed efficiency, lipid metabolism, and oxidative stress reduction, with downstream benefits for food quality and shelf-life.

Exploitation of Waste/By-products/Underutilized Plant-Based Resources

• Promote the use of vegetal wastes, underutilized agri-food resources and by-products, minimizing waste and improving the environmental sustainability of the food sector.

Development of Functional Food Products

• Create functional food products enriched with bioactive compounds, tailored to meet specific health needs and dietary requirements.

• Development of food products targeting prevention and treatment of specific health conditions, leveraging bioactive ingredients to enhance food functionality.

Oxidative Process Reduction in Animal-Based Products

• Investigate and develop nutritional approaches to reduce oxidative processes in animal tissues (meat, eggs, dairy) to preserve food quality and extend shelf life.

• Research on naturally derived antioxidants, vitamin and mineral formulations that improve oxidative stability of lipid matrices in animal-origin products.

Bioaccessibility and Antioxidant Studies in Animal Nutrition

• Investigate the bioaccessibility of nutrients in the gastrointestinal tract of monogastric animals and explore antioxidant potentials to enhance food quality.

• In vitro studies on the bioavailability of nutrients in animal feed, as well as the use of phytoadditives and novel feed additives to combat oxidative damage.

Advanced Analytical Methods

• Analytical methods to detect and quantify bioactive compounds in raw materials, feeds, and finished food products.

• Research on high-performance analytical tools for the identification and quantification of bioactive substances, including antioxidants and other health-promoting compounds.