September 2011 update on the Animal Nutrition Section of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health
Wednesday 26 October 2011
This update provides information about the Animal Nutrition Section of the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) meeting held on 21-22 September 2011.
Feed additives
Votes were taken on five European Commission proposals for feed additive authorisations – these all received a qualified majority vote (QMV) in favour. A summary of these is given in the table below:
Feed additive authorisations – September 2011 SCoFCAH (Animal Nutrition Section)
| Additive | Additive type | Proposal number | Authorisation type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saccharomyces cerevisiae NCYC R-625 | Gut flora stabiliser | SANCO/11372/2011 | New |
| endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Aspergillus niger (CBS 109.713) and endo-1,4-beta-glucanase from Aspergillus niger (DSM 18404 |
Digestibility enhancer | SANCO/10376/2011 | Extension |
| endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Tricoderma reesei (MULC 49755) and endo-1,3(4)-beta-glucanase from Tricoderma reesei (MULC 49754) |
Digestibility enhancer | SANCO/10638/2011 | Extension |
| endo-1,4-beta-xylanase from Trichoderma reesei (CBS 114044) | Digestibility enhancer | SANCO/10647/2011 | Extension |
| Lactobacillus plantarum (NCIMB 30236) | Silage agent | SANCO/10282/2011 | New |
Undesirable substances
The Committee agreed that rapid alert (RASFF) notifications could be issued for feed where products contained significant levels of a contaminant for which no specific maximum limit exists (for example for mercury in certain types of feed additives). It was also agreed that SCoFCAH should consider a few cases of where limits set under a recent revision of Directive 2002/32 (Regulation 574/2011) appeared to give rise to some compliance problems. Maximum limits could only be relaxed where this would not be at odds with existing advice from EFSA.
Additional controls for dioxins and PCBs in feed
A further draft of a Commission proposal (SANCO/10282/2011) for a regulation concerning additional controls for the presence of dioxins in feed oils/fats was presented and discussed. The main issues covered by the proposal were:
- approval to be required under Article 10 of Regulation 183/2005 for feed business operators that manufacture, blend or place feed on the market
- establishments that blend oils for feed use and that blend oils for other purposes must ensure that these other oils comply with the controls contained in Annex I of Directive 2002/32
- containers used to store or transport oils should be dedicated for that purpose
- a mandatory dioxin/PCB monitoring regime (up to 100% of batches) for feed fats and oils (to include some non-feed products) and compound feeds
- laboratories to notify competent authorities of non-compliant results
Once again, the main issue that concerned Member States was the mandatory monitoring scheme; some thought that this was not proportionate to the risks to the consumer. No vote was taken as it appeared that there would be insufficient support for a qualified majority in favour.
Codex Task Force on Animal Feeding
The Commission presented two draft documents drawn up by the Swiss Secretariat:
- guidance on risk assessment methodologies
- a priority list of hazards in the feed chain
An official summarised the comments that the European Union expected to make on these documents; he said that Member States have only a short period to provide any further comments or clarification.
Controls and import conditions
The Commission presented a proposal (SANCO/7107/2011) for a Commission decision to amend Decision 2004/211/EC concerning the movement of equines and their gametes from Mexico into the European Union. This proposal received a qualified majority vote in favour; no Member States opposed the measure, but some were not present for the vote.
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.