Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/2023 of 18 November 2016 concerning the authorisation of sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate, formic acid and sodium formate as feed additives for all animal species (Text with EEA relevance )
Data as of 2026-07-04 · Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. · Read the official text ↗
Authorisation
The additives specified in the Annex, belonging to the additive category ‘technological additives’ and to the functional group ‘silage additives’, are authorised as additives in animal nutrition, subject to the conditions laid down in that Annex.
Transitional measures
The sodium benzoate specified in the Annex and feed containing it, which are produced and labelled before 9 June 2017 in accordance with the rules applicable before 9 December 2016 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted.
Entry into force
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union .
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 End of period of authorisation mg/kg of complete feedingstuff with a moisture content of 12 % Category of technological additives. Functional group: silage additives 1k301 — Sodium benzoate Additive composition Sodium benzoate ≥ 99,5 % Solid form Characterisation of the active substance Sodium benzoate ≥ 99,5 % C 7 H 5 Na O 2 CAS no 532-32-1 Produced by chemical synthesis Analytical method ( 1 ) For the determination of sodium benzoate: titrimetric method (01/2008:0123 of European Pharmacopoeia). All animal species — 2 400 1. For users of the additive and premixtures, feed business operators shall establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks resulting from its use. Where those risks cannot be eliminated or reduced to a minimum by such procedures and measures, the additive and premixtures shall be used with personal protective equipment, including breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves. 2. The mixture of different sources of sodium benzoate shall not exceed the permitted maximum contents. 9 December 2026 1k202 — Potassium sorbate Additive composition Potassium sorbate ≥ 99 % Solid form Characterisation of the active substance Potassium sorbate ≥ 99 % C 6 H 7 KO 2 CAS no 24634-61-5 Produced by chemical synthesis Analytical method ( 1 ) For the determination of potassium sorbate in feed additive: titration with perchloric acid (European Pharmacopoeia, monographs 6.0 method 01/2008:0618). For the determination of potassium sorbate in premixture and feedingstuffs: ion exclusion High Performance Liquid Chromatography with UV detection (HPLC-UV). All animal species 300 1. For users of the additive and premixtures, feed business operators shall establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks resulting from its use. Where those risks cannot be eliminated or reduced to a minimum by such procedures and measures, the additive and premixtures shall be used with personal protective equipment, including breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves. 2. The additive shall be used in easy and moderate difficult to ensile materials. ( 2 ) 9 December 2026 1k236 — Formic acid Additive composition Formic acid (≥ 84,5 %) Liquid form Characterisation of the active substance Formic acid ≥ 84,5 % H 2 CO 2 CAS no 64-18-6 Analytical method ( 1 ) For the determination of formic acid: ion chromatography method equipped with electrical conductivity detection (IC-ECD). All animal species — 10 000 1. For users of the additive and premixtures, feed business operators shall establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks resulting from its use. Where those risks cannot be eliminated or reduced to a minimum by such procedures and measures, the additive and premixtures shall be used with personal protective equipment, including breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves 2. The mixture of different sources of formic acid shall not exceed the permitted maximum content in complete feedingstuffs. 9 December 2026 1k237 — Sodium formate Additive composition Solid form Sodium formate ≥ 98 % Liquid form Sodium formate ≥ 15 % Formic acid ≤ 75 % Water ≤ 25 % Characterisation of the active substance Sodium formate ≥ 98 % (solid form) NaHCO 2 CAS no 141-53-7 formaldehyde ≤ 6,2 mg/kg acetaldehyde ≤ 5 mg/kg butylaldehyde ≤ 25 mg/kg Sodium formate ≥ 15 % (liquid form) Formic acid ≤ 75 % Produced by chemical synthesis Analytical method ( 1 ) Determination of sodium in feed additives: EN ISO 6869: atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) or EN 15510: inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, (ICP-AES). Determination of total formate in feed additives: EN 15909 reverse phase HPLC with UV detection (RP-HPLC-UV). Determination of total formate in premixtures and feedingstuffs: Ion-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography with UV or with refractive index detection (HPLC-UV/RI) or Ion chromatography method equipped with electrical conductivity detection (IC-ECD). All animal species — 10 000 (formic acid equivalent) 1. For users of the additive and premixtures, feed business operators shall establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks resulting from its use. Where those risks cannot be eliminated or reduced to a minimum by such procedures and measures, the additive and premixtures shall be used with personal protective equipment, including breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves. 2. The mixture of different sources of formic acid shall not exceed the permitted maximum contents in complete feedingstuffs. 9 December 2026 ( 1 ) Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the Reference Laboratory: https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/eurl/feed-additives/evaluation-reports ( 2 ) Easy to ensile forage: > 3 % soluble carbohydrates in fresh materials. Moderately difficult to ensile forage: 1,5-3,0 % soluble carbohydrates in fresh materials. Commission Regulation (EC) No 429/2008 ( OJ L 133, 22.5.2008, p. 1 ).
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