Valorising byproducts from broiler processing: biologics and sustainability

Poultry production and processing continue to expand globally. In addition to traditional poultry meat products, a wide range of byproducts are also produced which do not end up as human food. Poultry coproducts are generally classified as edible or nonedible, however, their downstream use depends on the type of byproduct generated during processing. Currently, many byproducts are rendered and used as animal or pet food protein supplements. However, some byproducts remain relatively unused, entering the environment as waste products. Ongoing research efforts are identifying opportunities to repurpose at least some of the waste byproducts into sources of potential biologic compounds for a variety of applications. Here, we describe current poultry processing practices along with the current outcomes for byproducts followed by future opportunities to enhance the value of these byproducts as sources of high-value biologic compounds and tissues.