History and current use of feed additives in the European Union: legislative and practical aspects.

Abstract

Whilst the term feed additives encompasses a variety of products, this chapter will concentrate on product groups such as antibiotic growth promoters, coccidiostats and enzymes. These products have been, and are, subject to scrutiny and licensing at European Union (EU) and national level. The history of antibiotic growth promoters serves as a case study for the development of a product group, ensuing legislation, pressure group activity and the subsequent demise of the product group. EU legislation has evolved over the years from a situation of limited scope and relatively relaxed rules to the current system where the scope is being extended to more products and with stricter rules. The current EU regulation (1831/2003) is based on the precautionary principle related to human health, animal health and the environment. At present there are signs that legislation has tightened to such a level that certain products are not available on the EU market, maybe as a result of high costs or delays, due to the registration process. A balance needs to be found between effective legislation regulating the safe use of additives and allowing new product and concept development. From a practical nutritionist's point of view the whole area is very complicated, with several products on the market, and it is unclear whether they are additives in the legal sense or not, but there is a responsibility on the nutritionist to ensure compliance with the law. With antibiotic growth promoters disappearing, several 'replacement' products need to be evaluated, which is another big challenge for nutritionists.

Organic Acids and Potential for Modifying the Avian Gastrointestinal Tract and Reducing Pathogens and Disease

“…The poultry industry began to turn away from the use of antibiotics due to growing public concern over antibiotic resistant pathogens. As early as the late 1960s, the Swann Committee in the European Union (EU) researched the possibility of bacterial resistance due to the use of antibiotics in livestock diets ( 18 ). It was found in the years between 1963 and 1965 that the resistance to antibiotics could be transferable to other bacteria, as was seen in the epidemic of antibiotic resistant Salmonella Typhimurium ( 18 ).…”

“…Typhimurium led the United Kingdom (UK) government to appoint the Swann Committee to monitor and identify possible resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antibiotics from animal origins ( 18 ). The Swann Committee later recommended in 1969 that the antibiotics used as growth promoters in feed diets be those that “have little or no application as therapeutic agents in man or animals and will not impair the efficacy of a prescribed therapeutic drug or drugs through the development of resistant strains of organisms” ( 18 ). The Swann Committee in that same statement deemed the use of chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, penicillin, tylosin, and the sulphonamides as unsuitable for growth promotion ( 18 ).…”

“…The Swann Committee later recommended in 1969 that the antibiotics used as growth promoters in feed diets be those that “have little or no application as therapeutic agents in man or animals and will not impair the efficacy of a prescribed therapeutic drug or drugs through the development of resistant strains of organisms” ( 18 ). The Swann Committee in that same statement deemed the use of chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, penicillin, tylosin, and the sulphonamides as unsuitable for growth promotion ( 18 ). The statement was later adopted by the UK in 1998 ( 19 ).…”

“…The first country in the EU to officially ban the use of AGPs was Sweden in 1985 ( 18 ). Sweden, after joining the EU in 1995, heavily campaigned for the termination of the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed in the EU ( 18 ).…”

“…The first country in the EU to officially ban the use of AGPs was Sweden in 1985 ( 18 ). Sweden, after joining the EU in 1995, heavily campaigned for the termination of the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed in the EU ( 18 ). In 1996, the United States (US) implemented the National Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring System (NARMS), which monitored the antimicrobial resistance in bacteria ( 8 ).…”