MRLs for residues of feed additives in food products of animals in the EU.
Feed additives are added to the feed of food producing animals for different purposes like nutritional (vitamins, minerals, etc), technological (emulsifiers, antioxidants, etc) or zootechnical (digestibility enhancer). Furthermore substances to prevent cocciodiosis and histomoniasis that are added to feed are feed additives according to EU legislation. Feed additives are authorized at the EU level. Thus, member states are not allowed to authorize feed additives themselves. Authorizations are granted in most instances for specific animal species and specific conditions of use. Feed additives authorized are listed in the Community Register of feed additives, see: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/animalnutrition/feedadditives/registeradditives_en.htm
The European scientific panel on additives and products or substances used in animal feed (FEEDAP) of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) advises the EU on the use of feed additives. The opinions on feed additives of this panel can be found at the EFSA website (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/science.html ).
Regulation (EC) 1831/2003 contains provisions for setting maximum residue limits (MRLs) in food derived from food producing animals, unless the same substance is also used as a veterinary drugs. For substances used as feed additive ánd as veterinary drug MRLs are set within the framework of Regulation (EC) 2377/90.
MRLs set thus far for residues of feed additives in food products are not easily accessible. Neither the Community Register nor EC/1831/2003 provide for listing of these MRLs. Feed additives for which MRLs have been established thus far are:
- lasalocide (Regulation EC/712/2005 and EC/1055/2006)
- monensin-natrium (Regulation EC/108/2007 and EC/109/2007)
- narasin (Regulation EC/545/2006)
- salinomycin-natrium (Regulation EC/496/2007 and EC/500/2007)
The regulations can be obtained as a pdf-file at the Eur-lex website, http://eur-lex.europa.eu/nl/index.htm . To obtain the regulation click on ‘simple search’ then on ‘natural number’, and enter the year (xxxx) and the number.
Substances no longer authorized
The authorizations of several feed additives were withdrawn in recent years (see: http://ec.europa.eu/food/food/animalnutrition/feedadditives/authowithdrawal_en.htm (not up to date!!)). Substances like nifursol, carbadox, olaquindox and virginiamycin are not allowed to be used anymore in the EU. Residues of feed additives that are not allowed should be absent from food products. However, for some substances the use as feed additive is not authorized anymore, but the use as veterinary drug is still possible. Examples are tylosin and amprolium for which MRLs are set within the framework of EC/2377/90.