January 2012 update on the Animal Nutrition Section of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health
Tuesday 24 January 2012
This update provides information about the Animal Nutrition Section of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) meeting held on 19 and 20 January 2012.
Feed additives
Three proposals were presented concerning feed additive authorisations – all received votes in favour. Further information is provided in the table below.
Feed additive authorisations from SCoFCAH – January 2012
| Additive | Proposal | Target species | Authorisation type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sodium bisulphate | SANCO/12889/2011 | Non-food producing animals | Flavour and Acidifying agent |
| Monensin sodium | SANCO/12887/2011 | Chickens reared for laying | Coccidiostat |
| Caraway oil, lemon oil, certain herbs | SANCO/12890/2011 | Weaned piglets, pigs for fattening | Zootechnical |
The committee provided an interim view that chlorophyll-based markers for possible use in detecting faecal contamination on carcasses would be considered to be feed additives.
Undesirable substances
In addition to the changes outlined in the December 2011 report, SCoFCAH agreed in principle to make the following changes to the controls for certain undesirable substances in feed:
- a higher level (10mg/kg) of arsenic for complete and complementary feed for pet animals containing marine-sourced feed materials
- a higher level (50mg/kg) of arsenic for the feed additive dicopper chloride trihydroxide
- a new limit for crustacean meal for dioxins of 1.75ng WHO-TEQ/kg
- a new limit of 1.25mg/kg for Lasalocid sodium for withdrawal feed for pheasants, guinea fowl, quail and partridges
Animal feed sampling
A European Commission working group meeting was held on 21 January to consider revised protocols for official sampling of animal feed. A Commission official reported that reasonable progress had been made and that a proposal to amend the sampling measures contained in Regulation 152/2009 would be made after further consideration by the working group.
EU Register of feed materials
Member states agreed to offer to assist the feed industry remove incorrect or inappropriate entries from the mandatory EU Register of feed materials.
Labelling of feed additives in compound feed
The committee discussed the problems surrounding the need to declare the actual level of an additive that was added to a compound feed during manufacture and the fact that labile feed additives (e.g. certain vitamins) have reduced activity following pelleting and other processes. This can lead to official samples containing lower levels of an additive than declared. Suggestions to resolve the problem included declaring the net added amount; and a declaration of the added amount, plus an additional declaration of the actual amount in the analytical constituents section.
Concerns were also expressed about the current requirement to declare the level of trace element additives in compound feed as the compound, as opposed to the level of the trace element. Member states were of the view that the level of the element itself is more critical both for safety and compliance reasons. The commission officials were sympathetic to these views, but said that the labelling rules set out in Regulation 767/2009 need to be complied with. It was suggested that the total level of the trace element could also be included on the feed label in the analytical constituents section.
More about SCoFCAH and its animal nutrition section
SCoFCAH is a European Commission regulatory committee that was established by Regulation 178/2002, a regulation that includes the laying down of principles and requirements of feed law. Meetings of the committee are chaired by European Commission officials, and attended by Member States' representatives. The committee can give an opinion, that is to say a vote, on certain proposed measures, prior to their possible adoption by the Commission.
SCoFCAH has eight sections. The Animal Nutrition Section deals with animal feed and meets about 10 times each year. Information about the outcome of each meeting will be published on this website.
For further information about the SCoFCAH Animal Nutrition Section, email Dr Ray Smith at: ray.smith@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk.