EFSA revises feed additive guidance
The Authority said the publications support companies when they are preparing technical dossiers in three areas: the identity, characterization and conditions of use of feed additives, the safety of feed additives for the target species and their safety for the consumer.
They were adopted by EFSA’s FEEDAP panel at its last plenary in September, along with the respective technical reports on the outcome of the public consultation.
A spokesperson for EFSA told us the guidance on the characterization of microorganisms used as feed additives or as production organisms will be tabled for possible adoption at the next FEEDAP panel plenary meeting, at the end of November.
The guidance on the safety of feed additives for the environment and the guidance on efficacy of feed additives are ongoing, she said.
“Public consultation [on those] will likely be at the beginning of 2018.”
Background
In 2016, EFSA asked its FEEDAP panel to identify which of its existing feed additive guidance documents required updating.
Each of the Standing Working Groups of the FEEDAP Panel nominated issues that had arisen during additive assessments and would support the need for revision of current guidance.
In addition, the panel said it considered relevant overarching guidance documents produced by EFSA’s scientific committee along with revised assessment tools provided by EFSA and other international organisations.
“The analysis of the information collected indicated a number of broad areas in the existing guidance that need possible revision. In particular, since the existing guidance on environmental risk assessment is no longer aligned to other EFSA outputs, the panel proposes that revision of this guidance should be given the highest priority.”
In March this year, EFSA asked industry representatives to join two ad-hoc discussion groups that would assist in the development of the guidance documents. The call was part of EFSA’s Stakeholder Engagement Approach, under which discussion groups act as ‘learning systems’ that allow the Authority to capitalise on industry knowledge in specific areas.
Participants had the opportunity to attend working group meetings, either in person or via teleconference, with EFSA experts and give their comments on the documents.
