March 29, 2007
FDA approves vitamin D3 supplement in poultry feed
THE Food & Drug Administration has amended its regulations to approve the expanded use of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OH D3).
The additive is generally recognized as a safe source of vitamin D3 in either broiler chicken feeds or drinking water when used in accordance with certain limitations.
FDA said this action was in response to a petition filed in 1998 by Amoco BioProducts Corp.
This petition was also submitted by IsoGen LLC, Monsanto Co, Roche Vitamins Inc. and DSM Nutritional Products Inc.
FDA said that 25-OH D3, is a normal metabolite of vitamin D3 in mammals and birds and is the principal circulating form of vitamin D3.
While poultry do not have to have the vitamin added as it is naturally produced when the skin is exposed to sunlight, it would not be possible for modern farms to allow poultry that exposure and hence a vitamin supplement is necessary.
According to FDA, the petitioner claimed that the National Research Council (NRC)'s recommended dosage of vitamin D3 is too little to be used in the broiler industry because commercial broiler strains currently grow much faster and are reared in confinement with less exposure to UV light than ever before.
Thus supplementation of broiler feed with vitamin D3 is typically at a considerably higher level. Current amounts commonly added by the broiler chicken feed companies range from 50.0 to 62.5 parts per billion of finished feed. An allowable level of 69 parts per billion would be more suitable, according to the petition.
The petitioner also proposed that the vitamin D3 be added to broiler chickens' drinking water at levels not exceeding 34.5 parts per billion as it is generally assumed that birds consume twice as much water as the amount of feed.
To assure safe use, as there are no data to support its use concurrently in feed and water, there must be a statement on all premix labeling that it should not be used concurrently in both feed and water.
