Date: 2025-09-09Category: Not ApplicableState: Union GovernmentCountry: Europe
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1787 of 8 September 2025 concerning the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM 80387 as a feed additive for all animal species
Issued by European Commission
· Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety
Executive Summary:
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1787 authorises L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM 80387 as a feed additive for all animal species. It classifies the additive under nutritional and sensory categories, with specific conditions for use. The regulation takes effect twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union, with the authorisation period ending on 29 September 2035.
Key Points / Main Content:
Authorisation:
* L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM 80387 is authorised as a feed additive for all animal species.
* It is classified as a nutritional additive (amino acids, their salts and analogues) and a sensory additive (flavouring compounds).
Conditions of Use (Nutritional Additive):
* L-arginine must be rumen-protected when fed to ruminants.
* The dietary supply of all essential and conditionally essential amino acids should be considered, especially when supplementing with L-arginine via drinking water.
* Users must implement operational procedures and organisational measures to mitigate potential risks. If risks remain, personal eye and breathing protection is required.
* The moisture content must be indicated on the label.
* Storage conditions and stability to heat treatment and in water should be indicated in the directions for use.
Conditions of Use (Sensory Additive):
* The additive must be incorporated into feed as a premixture.
* Storage conditions and stability to heat treatment must be indicated in the directions for use.
* The label must include the recommended maximum content of 25 mg/kg in complete feeding stuff with 12% moisture.
* If the use level on the label of the premixture would result in exceeding the maximum content, the functional group, identification number, name and added amount of the active substance shall be indicated on the label of the premixture.
* The moisture content must be indicated on the label.
* Users must implement operational procedures and organisational measures to mitigate potential risks. If risks remain, personal eye and breathing protection is required.
Labelling Requirements:
* Labels must specify storage conditions, stability to heat treatment, and moisture content.
* Premixtures exceeding the recommended maximum content must indicate specific information on the label.
End of Authorisation Period:
* The authorisation for this feed additive expires on 29 September 2035.
Impact Analysis:
Feed Business Operators:
* Impact: Must ensure L-arginine is rumen-protected for ruminants (Nutritional additive). Must incorporate the additive into feed in the form of a premixture (Sensory additive). Must also establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks to users of the additive and premixtures.
* Action Required: Implement appropriate protective measures, labelling, and usage guidelines.
Users of the Additive and Premixtures:
* Impact: Need to be aware of potential health risks and implement protective measures.
* Action Required: Follow operational procedures and organisational measures, and use personal protective equipment if risks cannot be eliminated.
Ruminant Animal Feeders:
* Impact: Need to ensure L-arginine is rumen-protected to be fully efficacious.
* Action Required: Select appropriate feed products or ensure protection during feed preparation.
Key Entities Referenced
European Union: A political and economic union of member states located primarily in Europe.
European Commission: An 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.
Regulation EC No 1831/2003: A Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on additives for use in animal nutrition.
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.
L-arginine: An amino acid authorized as an additive in animal nutrition.
Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM 80387: A strain of bacteria used to produce L-arginine.
Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed: A committee that provides opinions on measures related to plants, animals, food, and feed within the European Union.
Brussels: The de facto capital city of the European Union, located in Belgium where the regulation was adopted.
Official Journal EN
of the European Union L series
2025/1787 9.9.2025
COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION(EU) 2025/1787
of 8 September 2025
concerning the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM 80387
as a feed additive for all animal species
(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 9(2) 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 such an authorisation.
(2) In accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, an application was submitted for the authorisation of
L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM 80387. That application was accompanied by the
particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(3) The application concerns the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM 80387 as
a feed additive for all animal species, requesting that additive to be classified in the category ‘nutritional additives’,
functional group ‘amino acids, their salts and analogues’ and in the category ‘sensory additives’, functional group
‘flavouring compounds’. The applicant requested the additives to be authorised for use also in water for drinking.
However, Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 does not allow the authorisation of ‘flavouring compounds’ for use in
water for drinking. Therefore, the applicant withdrew the application for water for drinking for the functional group
‘flavouring compounds’.
(4) The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinion of 28 January 2025(2)that, under the
proposed conditions of use, L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM 80387 does not pose any
safety concerns regarding the production strain and that the additive is safe for the target species, the consumers and
the environment. The Authority has concerns on the use of L-arginine in water for drinking. It also concluded that
L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM 80387 is not irritant to skin, and not a dermal sensitiser
but is irritant to the eyes and respiratory tract. The Authority further concluded that the substance is regarded as an
efficacious source of the amino acid L-arginine for all non-ruminant species, but for the substance to be fully
efficacious in ruminants, it should be protected from ruminal degradation and that it is considered efficacious when
used as a flavouring compound in animal nutrition. The Authority did not consider that there is a need for specific
requirements of post-market monitoring. The Authority also verified the report on the method of analysis of the
feed additive in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.
(5) In view of the above, the Commission considers that L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM
80387 satisfies the conditions provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Accordingly, the use of
that substance as a feed additive should be authorised. When fed to ruminants for the use under the functional
group ‘amino acids, their salts and analogues’, L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicum KCCM 80387
needs protection against degradation in the rumen. It is appropriate to alert the user to take into account the dietary
supply with all the essential and conditionally essential amino acids, in particular in the case of supplementation with
L-arginine via water for drinking. In addition, the Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should
be taken to prevent adverse effects on the health of the users of the additive.
(6) The Commission considers that for the use of L-arginine produced with Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM 80387 as
flavouring compounds, safety reasons do not require the setting of maximum contents. In order to allow for better
control, the recommended maximum content should be indicated on the label of the feed additives. Where such
contents are exceeded, certain information should be indicated on the label of the premixtures concerned.
(7) The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on
Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,
(1) OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2003/1831/oj.
(2) EFSA Journal2025; 23(2), e9258, https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9258.
ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1787/oj 1/5EN
OJ L, 9.9.2025
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
Authorisation
The substance specified in the Annex, belonging to the category ‘nutritional additives’, functional group ‘amino acids, their
salts and analogues’ and to the category ‘sensory additives’, functional group ‘flavouring compounds’, is authorised as an
additive in animal nutrition, subject to the conditions laid down in that Annex.
Article 2
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, 8 September 2025.
For the Commission
The President
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
2/5 ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1787/ojANNEX
Minimum Maximum
Identification
Species or content content
number of Composition, chemical formula, Maximum End of period of
Additive category Other provisions
the feed description, analytical method age authorisation
of animal mg/kg of complete feed with
additive
12 % moisture content
Category: nutritional additives. Functional group: amino acids, their salts and analogues
3c367 L-arginine Additive composition All – – – 1. In the directions for use of the 29 September
animal additive and premixtures, the 2035
L-arginine ≥ 98 % (on a dry matter
species storage conditions, the stability
basis)
to heat treatment and in water
Solid form shall be indicated.
2. The additive may be used via
Characterisation of the active substance
water for drinking.
L-arginine produced with
3. Feed business operators shall
Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM
ensure that L-arginine is rumen
80387
protected, when fed to
IUPAC name: (S)-2-amino-
ruminants.
5-guanidinopentanoic acid
Chemical formula: C H N O 4. The moisture content shall be
6 14 4 2
CAS number: 74–79-3 indicated on the label of the
additive.
Analytical method(1)
5. The label of the additive and
For the identification of L-arginine in premixtures shall indicate the
the feed additive: following: ‘The supplementation
with L-arginine, in particular via
— Food Chemical Codex ‘L-arginine
water for drinking, shall take into
monograph’;
account all essential and
For the determination of arginine in conditionally essential amino
the feed additive and water: acids in order to avoid
— Ion-exchange chromatography imbalances.’
coupled with post-column
derivatisation and optical
detection (IEC-VIS);
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1787/oj
3/5
OJ
L,
9.9.2025
ENMinimum Maximum
Identification
Species or content content
number of Composition, chemical formula, Maximum End of period of
Additive category Other provisions
the feed description, analytical method age authorisation
of animal mg/kg of complete feed with
additive
12 % moisture content
For the determination of arginine in 6. For users of the additive and
premixtures and compound feed: premixtures, feed business
— Ion-exchange chromatography operators shall establish
coupled with post-column operational procedures and
derivatisation and optical organisational measures to
detection (IEC-VIS), Commission address potential risks resulting
Regulation (EC) No 152/2009. from their use. Where those risks
cannot be eliminated by such
procedures and measures, the
additive and premixtures shall be
used with personal eye and
breathing protective equipment.
(1) Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the Reference Laboratory: https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/eurl-fa-eurl-feed-additives/eurl-fa-authorisation/eurl-fa-evaluation-
reports_en.
Minimum Maximum
Identification
Species or content content
number of Composition, chemical formula, Maximum End of period of
Additive category of Other provisions
the feed description, analytical method age authorisation
animal mg/kg of complete feed with
additive
12 % moisture content
Category: Sensory additives. Functional group: Flavouring compounds
3c367 L-arginine Additive composition All – – – 1. The additive shall be 29 September
animal incorporated into the feed in the 2035 L-arginine ≥ 98 % (on a dry matter
species form of a premixture.
basis)
2. In the directions for use of the
Solid form
additive and premixtures, the
storage conditions and the
Characterisation of the active substance
stability to heat treatment shall be
L-arginine produced with indicated.
Corynebacterium glutamicumKCCM
80387
4/5
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1787/oj
EN
OJ
L,
9.9.2025Minimum Maximum
Identification
Species or content content number of Composition, chemical formula, Maximum End of period of
Additive category of Other provisions
the feed description, analytical method age authorisation
animal mg/kg of complete feed with
additive
12 % moisture content
IUPAC name: (S)-2-amino- 3. On the label of the additive and
5-guanidinopentanoic acid premixture the following shall be
Chemical formula: C H N O indicated: ‘Recommended
6 14 4 2
CAS number: 74–79-3 maximum content of the active
substance of complete
Analytical method(1) feedingstuff with a moisture
content of 12 %: 25 mg/kg.’
For the identification of L-arginine in
the feed additive: 4. The functional group, the
identification number, the name
— Food Chemical Codex ‘L-arginine
and the added amount of the
monograph’;
active substance shall be
For the determination of arginine in indicated on the label of the
the feed additive: premixture where the use level on
— Ion-exchange chromatography the label of the premixture would
coupled with post-column result in exceeding the content
derivatisation and optical referred to in point 3.
detection (IEC-VIS);
5. The moisture content shall be
For the determination of arginine in indicated on the label of the
premixtures: additive.
— Ion-exchange chromatography 6. For users of the additive and
coupled with post-column premixtures, feed business
derivatisation and optical operators shall establish
detection (IEC-VIS), Commission operational procedures and
Regulation (EC) No 152/2009. organisational measures to
address potential risks resulting
from their use. Where those risks
cannot be eliminated by such
procedures and measures, the
additive and premixtures shall be
used with personal eye and
breathing protective equipment.
(1) Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the Reference Laboratory: https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/eurl-fa-eurl-feed-additives/eurl-fa-authorisation/eurl-fa-evaluation-
reports_en.
ELI:
http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/1787/oj
5/5
OJ
L,
9.9.2025
EN