Feed additives include:
- Technological additives – e.g. preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, acidity. regulators, silage additives.
- Sensory additives – e.g. flavours, colourants.
- Nutritional additives – e.g. vitamins, amino acids, trace elements.
- Zootechnical additives – e.g. digestibility enhancers.
- Coccidiostats and histomonostats.
Feed additives may not be put on the market unless they have been authorised following a scientific evaluation carried out by EFSA demonstrating that the additive has no harmful effects on human and animal health and on the environment.
They are authorised for 10 years. Subsequently, applicants must submit a new request showing that the additive remains safe under the conditions of the authorisation.
EFSA's role
EFSA gives scientific advice to support the authorisation process of feed additives. It carries out an evaluation of each new additive submitted for authorisation, of each new use of an authorised feed additive or on the modification or renewal of an authorised additive.
Companies wishing to market an additive in the EU must submit an application and a technical dossier with information on the additive, its conditions of use, control methods and data demonstrating its safety and efficacy.
EFSA’s FEEDAP Panel reviews this information and examines the efficacy and safety of the additive in terms of animal and human health as well as the environment. In parallel, the European Union Reference Laboratory for Feed Additives evaluates the analytical methods used to determine the presence of the additive in feed and its possible residues in food.
If EFSA’s opinion is favourable, the European Commission prepares a draft regulation to authorise the additive. This is then discussed and endorsed by Member States represented in the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed – Section Animal Nutrition.
EFSA’s activities are not limited to the assessment of feed additives but encompass the collaboration between panels and with other sister agencies. For example, in 2017 EFSA and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) reviewed the measures taken in the EU to reduce antimicrobial use in animals. EFSA experts from different scientific areas – animal feed, animal health and welfare and biological hazards – worked together to produce scientific advice. Another example of collaboration between EFSA panels and units is the ongoing assessment of the maximum levels of cross-contamination for 24 antimicrobial active substances in non-target feed in relation to possible development of antimicrobial resistance and growth promoting effects.
EFSA also provides technical and scientific support to the European Commission on activities at international level, such as the establishment of regulatory and international standards, e.g. CODEX Alimentarius, International Cooperation for Convergence of Technical Requirements for the Assessment of Feed Ingredients (ICCF).
EU framework
The European legislation on animal feed provides a framework for ensuring that feedstuffs do not pose any harm to human or animal health or to the environment.
European legislation and EFSA guidance documents detail how to compile dossiers for submission and the information and studies required for the evaluation.
The Commission has established the European Union Register of Feed Additives, which includes the list of all authorised feed additives.
