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Safety and efficacy of VevoVitall® (benzoic acid) as feed additive for pigs for fattening

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Wiley Online Library

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Relevant information or parts of this scientific output have been blackened in accordance with the European Commission decision on the confidentiality requests formulated by the applicant and further confidentiality requests formulated by the applicant for which a decision by the European Commission is pending. The blackened text will be subject to review once the full decision on the confidentiality requests is adopted by the European Commission. The full output was shared with the European Commission, EU Member States and the applicant.

Abstract

The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of VevoVitall® (benzoic acid) as a zootechnical feed additive for pigs for fattening. The additive is currently authorised for pigs for fattening with the effect of ‘urinary pH decrease’ at the minimum and maximum use of 5,000 and 10,000 mg/kg complete feed, respectively. The current application intends to support the use of the additive with the specific effect of ‘improvement of performance parameters’ at the minimum dose of 3,000 mg additive/kg complete feed, and keeping the same other conditions as for the use already authorised. The FEEDAP Panel assessed already the safety of the product when used in pigs for fattening in 2007 and 2017. The Panel confirms its former assessments that VevoVitall®used as a feed additive in pigs for fattening at the maximum level of 10,000 mg/kg is considered as safe for pigs for fattening, consumers of food derived from pigs fed the additive and the environment. VevoVitall® does not pose a risk by inhalation to users and is not a skin sensitiser but is a skin irritant and a severe eye irritant. Based on the results of three efficacy studies, the FEEDAP Panel concluded that VevoVitall® has the potential to increase the performance in pigs for fattening at the level of 3,000 mg/kg complete feed.