Date: 2025-07-18Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1423 of 17 July 2025 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 as regards the terms of the authorisation of a preparation of canthaxanthin as a feed additive for breeder hens (holder of authorisation: DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.)
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Executive Summary:
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1423 amends Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 regarding the authorisation terms for a canthaxanthin preparation used as a feed additive for breeder hens. This includes a new production route, changes to additive specifications, and adjustments to certain provisions. The regulation includes transitional measures allowing the continued use of products produced and labelled before specified dates.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Authorisation Modification:**
* A new production route for canthaxanthin is authorised via fermentation with *Yarrowia lipolytica* CBS 146148.
* Ethoxyquin is replaced by 4,4 butylated hydroxytoluene in the additive specifications.
* The limit for the impurity dichloromethane is increased from 10 to 80 mg/kg additive.
* **EFSA Opinion:**
* The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that canthaxanthin produced by fermentation with *Yarrowia lipolytica* CBS 146148 is safe for target species, consumers, and the environment, under the current authorised conditions.
* EFSA considers canthaxanthin produced by the new method to have the same purity as that produced by chemical synthesis.
* EFSA recommended adjusting the wording of provisions in Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 regarding mixtures of canthaxanthin sources and other carotenoids.
* **Transitional Measures:**
* Canthaxanthin and premixtures produced and labelled before 7 February 2026, following previous rules, can be placed on the market and used until stocks are exhausted.
* Compound feed and feed materials containing the additive, produced and labelled before 7 August 2026, following previous rules, can be placed on the market and used until stocks are exhausted.
* **Annex Amendment:**
* The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 is replaced with a new Annex, detailing specifications such as minimum and maximum content, identification number, and other provisions.
Impact Analysis:
* **Feed Additive Manufacturers (DSM Nutritional Products Ltd):**
* Impact: Can now use *Yarrowia lipolytica* CBS 146148 for canthaxanthin production and must adhere to the new additive specifications.
* Action Required: Update production processes and labelling to comply with the new specifications and provisions, and prepare for the new requirements after the transitional period.
* **Feed Business Operators:**
* Impact: Must ensure canthaxanthin and premixtures meet the new specifications after the transitional periods. The regulation references operators needing to establish operational procedures and organisational measures regarding potential risks resulting from their normal use.
* Action Required: Establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks resulting from their use and update sourcing and usage of canthaxanthin in feed production.
* **Users of Premixtures:**
* Impact: Need to be aware of the adjusted specifications, particularly regarding the blending of canthaxanthin sources and other carotenoids.
* Action Required: Ensure compliance with the new regulations when using canthaxanthin additives in feed formulations.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
European Commission: The executive branch of the European Union responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the EU treaties and managing the day-to-day business of the EU.
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union: One of the primary treaties of the European Union, outlining the scope of the EU's authority and the procedures for exercising it.
Regulation EC No 18312003: A European Parliament and Council regulation on additives for use in animal nutrition.
Commission Implementing Regulation EU No 6842014: A European Union regulation authorizing the use of canthaxanthin as a feed additive for breeder hens.
European Food Safety Authority: An agency of the European Union that provides independent scientific advice and communicates on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain.
Ursula VON DER LEYEN: The President of the European Commission.
DSM Nutritional Products Ltd.: The holder of the authorization for the preparation of canthaxanthin as a feed additive for breeder hens.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/1423 18.7.2025
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2025/1423
of 17 July 2025
amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 as regards the terms of the authorisation of a
preparation of canthaxanthin as a feed additive for breeder hens (holder of authorisation: DSM
Nutritional Products Ltd.)
(Text with EEA relevance)
THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on
additives for use in animal nutrition(1), and in particular Article 13(3) thereof,
Whereas:
(1) Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provides for the authorisation of additives for use in animal nutrition and for the
grounds and procedures for granting and modifying such authorisation.
(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014(2)authorised the use of a preparation of canthaxanthin as
a feed additive for breeder hens for a 10-year period.
(3) In accordance with Article 13(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, an application was submitted on 4 February
2021 for the modification of the terms of the authorisation of the preparation of canthaxanthin as a feed additive
for breeder hens. The application concerned the addition of a new production route by fermentation with Yarrowia
lipolytica CBS 146148 and the modification of the additive specifications by substituting ethoxyquin by 4,4 %
butylated hydroxytoluene and increasing the limit of the impurity dichloromethane from 10 to 80 mg/kg additive.
The request was accompanied by the relevant supporting data.
(4) The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) indicated in its opinion of 26 November 2024(3) that the
conclusions previously reached for synthetic canthaxanthin, in its opinion of 12 December 2012(4), with regards to
target animals, consumers and environment, also apply to canthaxanthin produced by fermentation with Yarrowia
lipolyticaCBS 146148. The Authority therefore concluded that using canthaxanthin produced with Yarrowia lipolytica
CBS 146148 in the formulation of the preparation of canthaxanthin is considered safe for the target species,
consumer and environment under the current authorized conditions of use for synthetic canthaxanthin. Regarding
user safety, it also concluded that canthaxanthin is not irritant to skin and eyes and unlikely to be a skin sensitiser,
that no conclusion can be reached on the respiratory sensitisation of canthaxanthin, and that, in the absence of data
with the preparation of canthaxanthin, no conclusions can be reached regarding the safety of that preparation for
the user. The Authority further indicated that canthaxanthin produced by fermentation with Yarrowia lipolyticaCBS
146148 has been shown to have the same purity as canthaxanthin produced by chemical synthesis, and that it is
considered as equivalent. Consequently, the conclusions reached in the opinion of 12 December 2012 on the
preparation containing synthetic canthaxanthin are considered also applicable to the preparation containing
canthaxanthin produced by fermentation with Yarrowia lipolytica CBS 146148, without the need for additional
studies, and the Authority concluded that the additive is efficacious in breeder hens at 6 mg/kg complete feed. The
Authority did not express concerns on the new specifications of the preparation of canthaxanthin. Finally, it
recommended adjusting the wording of two provisions of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU)
No 684/2014 regarding the mixture of different sources of canthaxanthin and regarding the mixture of the
preparation of canthaxanthin with other carotenoids.
(1) OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2003/1831/oj.
(2) Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 of 20 June 2014 concerning the authorisation of canthaxanthin as a feed
additive for breeder hens (holder of the authorisation DSM Nutritional products Ltd) (OJ L 182, 21.6.2014, p. 20; ELI: http://data.
europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2014/684/oj).
(3) EFSA Journal 2025;23:e9133, https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9133.
(4) EFSA Journal 11(1), 3047, https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.2903/j.efsa.2013.3047.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1423/oj 1/5EN
OJ L, 18.7.2025
(5) An application for the renewal of the authorisation of the preparation of canthaxanthin was sent to the Commission
on 10 July 2023, in accordance with the first paragraph of Article 14(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. As for
reasons beyond the control of the applicant no decision on the renewal of the authorisation had been taken before
the expiry of the authorisation, the period of authorisation has automatically been extended in accordance with
Article 14(4) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(6) In view of the above, the Commission considers that the preparation of canthaxanthin still satisfies the conditions
provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 when modifying the terms of the authorisation with the
addition of a new production route by fermentation with Yarrowia lipolytica CBS 146148, the substitution of
ethoxyquin by 4,4 % butylated hydroxytoluene and the increase the limit of the impurity dichloromethane from 10
to 80 mg/kg additive. In addition, certain provisions of the Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014
should be adjusted in accordance with the recommendations of the Authority.
(7) Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 should therefore be amended accordingly.
(8) Since safety reasons do not require the immediate application of the modifications to the conditions of authorisation
of the preparation of canthaxanthin, it is appropriate to provide for a transitional period for interested parties to
prepare themselves to meet the new requirements resulting from the modification of the terms of the authorisation.
(9) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Amendment to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014
The Annex to Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 is replaced by the Annex to this Regulation.
Article 2
Transitional measures
1. The feed additive canthaxanthin, as authorised by Implementing Regulation (EU) No 684/2014 and premixtures
containing that additive, which are produced and labelled before 7 February 2026 in accordance with the rules applicable
before 7 August 2025 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the stocks concerned are exhausted.
2. Compound feed and feed materials containing the feed additive referred to in paragraph 1, which are produced and
labelled before 7 August 2026 in accordance with the rules applicable before 7 August 2025 may continue to be placed on
the market and used until the stocks concerned are exhausted.
2/5 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1423/ojEN
OJ L, 18.7.2025
Article 3
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.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 17 July 2025.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1423/oj 3/5ANNEX
Minimum Maximum
Identifica Species content content End of Maximum residues
Name of the Composition, chemical
tion number or Maxi period of limits in the
holder of Additive formula, description, Other provisions
of the feed category mum age mg of active substance/kg of authori relevant foodstuffs
authorisation analytical method
additive of animal complete feedingstuff with a sation of animal origin
moisture content of 12 %
Category of zootechnical additives. Functional group: other zootechnical additives (stabilisation of reproductive performance)
4d161g DSM Canthaxanthin Additive composition Breeder - 6 6 1. In the directions for 10 July 15 mg
Nutritional Preparation containing: hens use of the additive 2024 canthaxanthin/kg
products Ltd, — minimum 10 % of and premixture, liver (wet tissue)
represented canthaxanthin; indicate the storage and 2,5 mg
by DSM — maximum 4,4 % of conditions and canthaxanthin/kg
Nutritional butylated stability to heat skin/fat (wet
Products Sp. hydroxytoluene. treatment. tissue)
z o.o. Impurities:
2. The mixture of
— dichloromethane:
different sources of
≤ 80 mg/kg additive.
the active substance
Solid form.
canthaxanthin shall
not exceed 6 mg
Characterisation of the
canthaxanthin/kg of
active substance
complete
Canthaxanthin produced
feedingstuff.
by chemical synthesis or
with Yarrowia lipolytica 3. The mixture of this
CBS 146148. additive with other
Chemical formula: additives containing
C H O canthaxanthin and/
40 52 2
CAS Number: 514-78-3 or other carotenoids
Purity: minimum 96 % is allowed provided
of total colouring that the total
matters (expressed as concentration of the
canthaxanthin) mixture does not
Carotenoids other than exceed 80 mg total
canthaxanthin: not more carotenoids/kg of
than 5 % of total complete
colouring matters. feedingstuff.
4/5
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1423/oj
EN
OJ
L,
18.7.2025Minimum Maximum
Identifica Species content content End of Maximum residues Name of the Composition, chemical
tion number or Maxi period of limits in the
holder of Additive formula, description, Other provisions
of the feed category mum age mg of active substance/kg of authori relevant foodstuffs
authorisation analytical method
additive of animal complete feedingstuff with a sation of animal origin
moisture content of 12 %
Analytical method(1) 4. For users of the
— For the additive and
determination of premixtures, feed
canthaxanthin in the business operators
feed additive: shall establish
spectrophotometry operational
(426 nm) procedures and
— For the organisational
determination of measures to address
canthaxanthin in the potential risks
premixtures and resulting from their
feedingtuffs: Normal use. Where those
Phase High risks cannot be
Performance Liquid eliminated by such
Chromatography procedures and
coupled to VIS measures, the
detection (NP- additive and
HPLC-VIS, 466 nm) premixtures shall be
used with personal
breathing, eye and
skin protective
equipment.
(1) Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the European Union Reference Laboratory for Feed Additives: www.irmm.jrc.be/eurl-feed-additives
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1423/oj
5/5
OJ
L,
18.7.2025
EN