Grape Marc as a Functional Feed Ingredient for Farmed Snails (Cornu aspersum maximum): Effects on Production...

Area of Science:

• Agriculture
• Animal Science
• Food Science

Background:

• Edible snails are a valuable food source globally.
• Improving snail meat quality is a key objective in heliciculture.
• Sustainable feed alternatives are needed for snail farming.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of grape marc (GM) supplementation on snail production performance.
• To evaluate the effects of GM on the health of farmed snails.
• To determine the influence of GM on the quality of snail meat.

Main Methods:

• Cornu aspersum maximum snails were fed diets with 0%, 7%, or 14% grape marc.
• Production performance, animal health (fecal egg count), and meat quality were analyzed.
• Meat tenderness and color were assessed after boiling.

Main Results:

• Grape marc supplementation slightly increased feed intake without negatively impacting growth.
• Fecal egg counts significantly decreased in snails fed GM diets (700 EPG vs. 2480 EPG).
• The highest dry matter content (24.14%) was observed with 14% GM inclusion, and meat tenderness improved.

Conclusions:

• Grape marc is a viable and sustainable feed supplement for farmed snails.
• GM supplementation enhances snail meat quality, particularly tenderness.
• This research supports the development of functional, high-quality snail meat products.