Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1486 of 2 September 2015 concerning the authorisation of canthaxanthin as feed additive for certain categories of poultry, ornamental fish and ornamental birds (Text with EEA relevance)

• CELEX: Implementing Regulation (EU) 2015/1486
• Articles: 4

Article 1

The substance specified in the Annex, belonging to the additive category ‘sensory additives’ and to the functional group ‘colourants’ is authorised as additive in animal nutrition subject to the conditions laid down in that Annex.

Article 2

1.   The substance specified in the Annex and premixtures containing that substance, which are produced and labelled before 23 March 2016 in accordance with the rules applicable before 23 September 2015 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted.

2.   Compound feed and feed materials containing the substance specified in the Annex which are produced and labelled before 23 September 2016 in accordance with the rules applicable before 23 September 2015 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted if they are intended for food-producing animals.

3.   Compound feed and feed materials containing the substance specified in the Annex which are produced and labelled before 23 September 2017 in accordance with the rules applicable before 23 September 2015 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted if they are intended for non-food-producing animals.

Article 3

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX

ANNEX

Identification number of the additive

Name of the holder of authorisation

Additive

Composition, chemical formula, description, analytical method

Species or category of animal

Maximum age

Minimum content

Maximum content

Other provisions

Maximum residue levels

End of period of authorisation

mg of active substance/kg of complete feedingstuff with a moisture content of 12 %

Category of sensory additives. Functional group: Colourants

(ii)

substances which, when fed to animals, add colours to food of animal origin

2a161g

—

Canthaxanthin

Additive composition

Canthaxanthin.

Triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) ≤ 100 mg/kg.

Dichloromethane ≤ 600 mg/kg

Characterisation of the active substance

—

Canthaxanthin

—

C 40 H 52 O 2

—

CAS number: 514-78-3

—

Canthaxanthin, solid form, produced by chemical synthesis.

—

Purity:

—

Assay: min. 96 %

—

Carotenoids other than canthaxanthin: not more than 5 % of total colouring matters.

Method of Analysis

( 1 )

1.

For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the feed additive: spectrophotometry at 426 nm.

2.

For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the premixtures and feedingstuffs: Normal Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to visible detection (NP-HPLC-VIS, 466 nm)

Chickens for fattening and minor poultry species for fattening.

—

—

25

1.

Canthaxanthin may be placed on the market and used as an additive consisting of a preparation

2.

The mixture of canthaxanthin with other carotenoids and xanthophylls shall not exceed 80 mg/kg of complete feed.

3.

For safety: breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves should be worn during handling.

Poultry 15 mg canthaxanthin/kg liver (wet tissue) and 2,5 mg canthaxanthin/kg skin/fat (wet tissue)

Laying poultry 30 mg canthaxanthin/kg egg yolk (wet tissue)

23.9.2025

Laying poultry and poultry reared for laying.

8

Identification number of the additive

Name of the holder of authorisation

Additive

Composition, chemical formula, description, analytical method

Species or category of animal

Maximum age

Minimum content

Maximum content

Other provisions

Maximum residue levels

End of period of authorisation

mg of active substance/kg of complete feedingstuff with a moisture content of 12 %

Category of sensory additives. Functional group: Colourants

(iii)

substances which favourably affect the colour of ornamental fish or birds

2a161g

—

Canthaxanthin

Additive composition

Canthaxanthin.

Triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) ≤ 100 mg/kg

Dichloromethane ≤ 600 mg/kg

Characterisation of the active substance

—

Canthaxanthin

—

C 40 H 52 O 2

—

CAS number: 514-78-3

—

Canthaxanthin, solid form, produced by chemical synthesis.

—

Purity:

—

Assay: min. 96 %

—

Carotenoids other than canthaxanthin: not more than 5 % of total colouring matters.

Method of Analysis

( 2 )

For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the feed additive: spectrophotometry at 426 nm.

For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the premixtures and feedingstuffs: Normal Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to visible detection (NP-HPLC-VIS, 466 nm).

Ornamental fish and ornamental birds except ornamental breeder hens.

—

—

100

1.

Canthaxanthin may be placed on the market and used as an additive consisting of a preparation.

2.

The mixture of canthaxanthin with other carotenoids and xanthopylls shall not exceed 100 mg/kg of complete feed.

3.

For safety: breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves should be worn during handling.

23.9.2025

Ornamental breeder hens

—

—

8

( 1 )   Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Feed Additives: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/eurl/feed-additives/evaluation-reports

( 2 )   Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Feed Additives: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/eurl/feed-additives/evaluation-reports