Microalgae for Feed 173
Regulations
Safe animal feed is important for the animal’s health, the environment, and the safety of foods from
animal origin. There are many examples of the close link between the safety of animal feed and human
foods; a known example succeeded with the inclusion of mammalian and bone meal in farm animals feed,
the consequent spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, and the association of its
infected meat with the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in humans (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
en/topics/topic/feed.htm).
Although microalgae are able to enhance the nutritional content of conventional foods and hence,
positively affect the health of humans and animals, algal material must also be analysed for the presence
of toxic compounds to prove their harmlessness, prior to commercialization. There is always a long way
for a new microalgae potential supplement from the Petri dish to the market place, and a crucial step
is to get approval for incorporation as dietary supplements or additives. The most relevant entities in
food supplement regulation are European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in Europe, and Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) in US.
The standing Committee on the Feed Chain and Animal Health has adopted on July 2012 a revised
version of the EU Catalogue of Feed Materials. This Catalogue is intended to be a non-exhaustive list of
feed materials, aimed to improve market transparency, and facilitate the exchange of information on feed
materials properties between the parties, and therefore, providing a common system within the EU for the
description and labeling of feed materials and compound feeds.
Regarding algae, the Part C of the Annex (7. other plants, algae, and products derived thereof) on the
Catalogue (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 575/2011) details the specifications algal ingredients must
fulfil in order to be approved as feed constituents (Table 9).
Although the use of this Catalogue by the feed business operators is voluntary, the name of a feed
material listed in Part C may be used only for a feed material complying with the requirements of the
entry concerned. Nevertheless, all entries in the list of feed materials shall comply with the restrictions on
the use of feed materials in accordance with the relevant legislation of the Union. Feed business operators
using algae and microalgae as feed material entered in the Catalogue shall ensure that it complies with
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 767/2009. Finally, and in accordance with good practice as referred
to in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 183/2005, feed materials shall be free from chemical impurities
resulting from their manufacturing process and from processing aids, unless a specific maximum content
is fixed in the Catalogue. Concerning algae entries, only antifoaming agents (with a general maximum
level of 0,1%) were inserted in the revised version of the Catalogue.
Table 9. Excerpt of Section 7 “Other plants, algae and products derived thereof” on Part C of the Catalogue of Feed Materials.
Number
Name
Description
Compulsory
declarations
7.1.1
Algae
21
Algae, live or processed, regardless of their presentation, including
fresh, chilled, or frozen algae. May contain up to 0.1% of
antifoaming agents.
Crude protein
Crude fat
Crude ash
7.1.2
Dried algae
21
Product obtained by drying algae. This product may have been
washed to reduce the iodine content. May contain up to 0.1% of
antifoaming agents.
Crude protein
Crude fat
Crude ash
7.1.3
Algae meal
21
Product of algae oil manufacture, obtained by extraction of algae.
May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
Crude protein
Crude fat
Crude ash
7.1.4
Algal oil
21
Product of the oil manufacture from algae obtained by extraction.
May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
Crude fat
Moisture if > 1%
7.1.5
Algae extract
21
;
[Algae fraction]
21
Watery or alcoholic extract of algae that principally contains
carbohydrates. May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
7.2.6
Seaweed meal Product obtained by drying and crushing macro-algae, in particular
brown seaweed. This product may have been washed to reduce the
iodine content. May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
Crude ash
21
—the name shall be supplemented by the species.
Regulations
Safe animal feed is important for the animal’s health, the environment, and the safety of foods from
animal origin. There are many examples of the close link between the safety of animal feed and human
foods; a known example succeeded with the inclusion of mammalian and bone meal in farm animals feed,
the consequent spread of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle, and the association of its
infected meat with the variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (vCJD) in humans (http://www.efsa.europa.eu/
en/topics/topic/feed.htm).
Although microalgae are able to enhance the nutritional content of conventional foods and hence,
positively affect the health of humans and animals, algal material must also be analysed for the presence
of toxic compounds to prove their harmlessness, prior to commercialization. There is always a long way
for a new microalgae potential supplement from the Petri dish to the market place, and a crucial step
is to get approval for incorporation as dietary supplements or additives. The most relevant entities in
food supplement regulation are European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), in Europe, and Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) in US.
The standing Committee on the Feed Chain and Animal Health has adopted on July 2012 a revised
version of the EU Catalogue of Feed Materials. This Catalogue is intended to be a non-exhaustive list of
feed materials, aimed to improve market transparency, and facilitate the exchange of information on feed
materials properties between the parties, and therefore, providing a common system within the EU for the
description and labeling of feed materials and compound feeds.
Regarding algae, the Part C of the Annex (7. other plants, algae, and products derived thereof) on the
Catalogue (Commission Regulation (EU) No. 575/2011) details the specifications algal ingredients must
fulfil in order to be approved as feed constituents (Table 9).
Although the use of this Catalogue by the feed business operators is voluntary, the name of a feed
material listed in Part C may be used only for a feed material complying with the requirements of the
entry concerned. Nevertheless, all entries in the list of feed materials shall comply with the restrictions on
the use of feed materials in accordance with the relevant legislation of the Union. Feed business operators
using algae and microalgae as feed material entered in the Catalogue shall ensure that it complies with
Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 767/2009. Finally, and in accordance with good practice as referred
to in Article 4 of Regulation (EC) No. 183/2005, feed materials shall be free from chemical impurities
resulting from their manufacturing process and from processing aids, unless a specific maximum content
is fixed in the Catalogue. Concerning algae entries, only antifoaming agents (with a general maximum
level of 0,1%) were inserted in the revised version of the Catalogue.
Table 9. Excerpt of Section 7 “Other plants, algae and products derived thereof” on Part C of the Catalogue of Feed Materials.
Number
Name
Description
Compulsory
declarations
7.1.1
Algae
21
Algae, live or processed, regardless of their presentation, including
fresh, chilled, or frozen algae. May contain up to 0.1% of
antifoaming agents.
Crude protein
Crude fat
Crude ash
7.1.2
Dried algae
21
Product obtained by drying algae. This product may have been
washed to reduce the iodine content. May contain up to 0.1% of
antifoaming agents.
Crude protein
Crude fat
Crude ash
7.1.3
Algae meal
21
Product of algae oil manufacture, obtained by extraction of algae.
May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
Crude protein
Crude fat
Crude ash
7.1.4
Algal oil
21
Product of the oil manufacture from algae obtained by extraction.
May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
Crude fat
Moisture if > 1%
7.1.5
Algae extract
21
;
[Algae fraction]
21
Watery or alcoholic extract of algae that principally contains
carbohydrates. May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
7.2.6
Seaweed meal Product obtained by drying and crushing macro-algae, in particular
brown seaweed. This product may have been washed to reduce the
iodine content. May contain up to 0.1% of antifoaming agents.
Crude ash
21
—the name shall be supplemented by the species.