Formic acid on EU register of feed additives as hygiene condition enhancer

A recent EU regulatory decision dated June, 2017, concerning Reg. 2017/940, will lead to huge modifications in feed industry daily practices. Formic acid is now classified in functional group 1n: “hygiene condition enhancers” of the EU register of feed additives for the coming decade. This means that it is now allowed to add formic acid to any raw material or feed as a bacterial decontaminating agent (including but not limited to Salmonella), to improve feed hygiene. For the time being formic acid is the only product approved for this application.

The new functional group 1n “hygiene condition enhancers” clearly recognizes formic acid’s antibacterial efficiency in dry substrates such as compound feed or any of the dry raw materials entering into feed formulation. Maximum allowed dosage is 10 kg / ton of substrate. The formic acid consortium applied for this new regulatory position.

Historically, formic acid was already classified in functional groups 1a “preservatives” and 1k “silage additives”. This hasn’t changed, therefore today formic acid is recognized in all three of these functional groups: 1a (preservatives), 1k (silage additives) and 1n (hygiene condition enhancers).

As a part of the consortium that applied for this new classification, Swedish formic acid producer Perstorp is pleased with the outcome. “Feed hygiene and feed decontamination are core activities for Perstorp”, according to Christophe Michaut, Feed Hygiene Business Development Manager at Perstorp. “We provide several recipes dedicated to feed hygiene and bacterial load control. However, these recipes are only part of the answer. A control plan is needed is order to measure bacterial load before-after feed decontaminating actions. The target is to decrease enterobacteriaceae loads in the feed or feed ingredients with 2 to 4 log cycles.”

Salmonella continues to be one of the biggest threats for animal production professionals. Formic acid can now officially be used to combat Salmonella and other enterobacteriaceae in feed.
(Photo: Shutterstock)

August 31, 2017 - Perstorp