Choline chloride in feed: the 2-chloroethanol limit now counted together with ethylene oxide
Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2070 corrects the authorisation of choline chloride as a feed additive. Instead of a limit of 30 mg/kg for 2-chloroethanol, a maximum of 40 mg/kg for the sum of ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol expressed as ethylene oxide applies — retroactively from 16 February 2026.
- The correction concerns Regulation (EU) 2026/164, which renewed the authorisation of an aqueous solution of choline chloride (at least 74 %) and a choline chloride preparation (at least 50 %) for all animal species. The Commission adopted the correction on 17 September and published it on 18 September 2026.
- According to the recitals, the previous level was expressed incorrectly: it corresponded to the content in the additive rather than in the active substance, and it should refer to the sum of ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol.
- A footnote to the annex explains that although the 40 mg is expressed as ethylene oxide, the limit refers to the 2-chloroethanol impurity, and the method of analysis requires the result to be expressed that way.
- For the quantification of choline chloride in the additive, premixtures, compound feed and drinking water, ion chromatography with conductivity detection (IC-CD) is specified; method details are published by the EU Reference Laboratory for Feed Additives (EURL-FA).
Source: Dziennik Urzędowy Unii Europejskiej — rozporządzenie wykonawcze Komisji (UE) 2026/2070