Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of Pediococcus pentosaceus (DSM 12834) as a silage additive for all species

Pediococcus pentosaceus is a technological additive intended to improve the ensiling process at a proposed doseof 1.0 x 10⁸ CFU/kg fresh material. The bacterial species P. pentosaceus is considered by the European FoodSafety Authority to be suitable for the Qualified Presumption of Safety approach. As the identity of the strain hasbeen clearly established and as no antibiotic resistance was detected, the use of the strain in the production ofsilage is considered safe for livestock species, consumers of products from animals fed the treated silage and forthe environment. Evidence of a lack of irritancy was provided for one formulation of the additive. It is unlikelythat considering the nature of the alternative food grade excipients, different results would be obtained for otherformulations containing P. pentosaceus DSM 12834. However, due to the lack of information and itsproteinaceous nature, the active agent has the potential to be a skin/respiratory sensitizer. Three studies withlaboratory-scale silos are described, each lasting at least 90 days, made using samples of grass forage of differingwater-soluble carbohydrate content and representing material easy to ensile, moderately difficult to ensile anddifficult to ensile. In each case, replicate silos containing treated forage were compared to identical siloscontaining the same untreated forage at 20 ºC. The additive consistently showed the potential to improve theproduction of silage from all forages by a reduction of pH and increased preservation of dry matter.