An Innovative Indoor and Controlled Sustainable Snail Breeding System

In recent years, the consumption of snails has grown throughout Europe, especially in the Mediterranean countries. This work aims to prototype snail farming based on vertical panel farming modules, also called “Stackable Modular Cells” (SMC) registered at the Italian Patent and Trademark Office. Experimentation and research aimed at analyzing and studying the efficiency of this indoor and controlled farming system compared to the outdoor one. Experimentation concentrates on breeding Helix aspersa (Müller). The innovation is represented by the climate-controlled environment that allows for recreating the ideal environmental conditions for the growth of the snails. The prototype system is a greenhouse that covers an area of approx. 100 m2 for each experimental plant. A fundamental element of this system is the “cell”, which consists of raised floors where the snails are raised. The cells can be stacked on two or more floors in a receiving structure called “module”, at the base of which there is an anti-escape metal grating. The SMC are helpful to the best hygienic-sanitary conditions, shortening of the production cycle, programming, control, and water saving. With the SMC system, it is possible to determine exactly the type of feeding to be administered and the climatic conditions of breeding, obtaining a slime with constant qualitative characteristics, which guarantee the creation of a new certifiable “product”, in the quality and the bioactive principles possessed.