April 4, 2007

EFSA says benzoic acid safe for swine diet
 

The European Food Safety Authority said the addition of benzoic acid to pig feed does not pose a risk on human health based on the trials it conducted on the feed additive VevoVitall®.

The scientific panel of EFSA (FEEDAP) has tested VevoVitall®, which is manufactured by animal nutrition firm DSM, on the safety for the target animal, consumer, user and the environment, and on the efficacy of the product.

The European Commission received a request from DSM for approval of the product VevoVitall®, consisting of 99.9 percent benzoic acid in flaked form as a feed additive for fattening pigs.

DSM claims using feed additive on swine feed is effective in reducing urinary pH (acid) in pigs for fattening as well as reducing the production and ammonia emission to the environment with 30 percent. Two of four feeding studies conducted by EFSA provided evidence for a significant reduction of ammonia emission at the highest level of 10,000 mg benzoic acid kg-1 diet, the lowest level (5,000 mg) being not effective in all studies.

Since the relation between urinary pH and reduced ammonia emission is not adequately confirmed, the FEEDAP panel cannot conclude on the efficacy of benzoic acid to reduce the ammonia emission. However, on the basis of two tolerance studies the FEEDAP panel concludes that the highest dose is safe for pigs for fattening with a narrow margin of safety (less than 1.5).