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USFDA to review animal feed ingredients
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
April 01 , 2015
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In order to increase transparency and affirm the safety of the animal feed supply, as required by the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA) of 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration announced a strategy to establish ingredient definitions and standards for animal feed.
Further the agency intends to work closely with industry during this transition to minimise disruption to animal feed production and ensure transparency and clarity for both manufacturers and the public.
FDA , as part of the strategy, the will review the list of animal feed ingredient definitions used by industry and state regulators, which is contained in Association of American Feed Control Officials' (AAFCO) Official Publication. AAFCO is a voluntary membership organisation that includes regulatory officials of US state and federal government agencies. AAFCO provides a forum for these regulatory officials to provide guidance and recommendations to ensure that the regulation of animal feeds is as uniform as possible from state to state.
The Official Publication includes FDA-approved feed additives and ingredients that are generally recognised as safe (GRAS), as well as AAFCO-established definitions for other ingredients. The FDA intends to align AAFCO ingredient listings with the agency's regulatory process and requirements.
The agency has identified following steps for animal feed ingredients:
- The FDA intends to publish a proposed rule establishing as the agency's standards and definitions for animal feed ingredients the AAFCO definitions for those ingredients that are recognised as GRAS or approved by the agency as feed additives. This proposed rule will be open for public comment, and the agency will consider those comments before issuing a final rule.
- FDA scientists will evaluate the remaining animal feed ingredients listed in the AAFCO Official Publication that are currently not FDA-approved feed additives or recognised as GRAS.
- In cases where the scientific literature supports a GRAS determination, the FDA will publish the supporting information in the Federal Register for public comment before affirming the ingredient as GRAS.
- In cases where the data and information support a finding that the ingredient meets the feed additive approval standard, the FDA intends to approve the ingredient as a feed additive.
- In cases where the FDA does not currently have data to make a GRAS determination or to approve the ingredient as a food additive, the agency will require manufacturers of these ingredients to submit a food additive petition in order to allow continued legal use of the product in animal food.
Although animal feed ingredient definitions and standards generally do not vary widely across the industry, and consumers can be confident in their accuracy, the FDA's strategy will formalise definitions and standards to meet federal laws and regulations.
Though the document is intended to help animal and livestock producers keep feed maintained on the farm safe for animal consumption, and ultimately, human consumption, AFIA is uncertain the industry had enough input in creating the draft regulations.
The agency said the draft was issued to "...help animal producers ensure the safety of animal feed that is used on-farm." The draft "...outlines steps animal producers can take to identify and prevent feed contaminants that are sometimes present in the farm production environment and could jeopardize the health of farm animals and the safety of human food derived from the animals."
Richard Sellers, American Feed Industry Association senior vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs, said the document was created with little input from animal and feed groups. "Although the draft has been in the works for quite some time, this is our first glance at the guidance," Sellers said, after the document's release .
Sellers also said, AFIA intends to ask FDA to amend the draft to tell producers to contact the manufacturer about potential feed concerns, and will review the draft guidance and potentially formulate additional comments with a working group compiled of industry.
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