Eugenol from clove leaves and trans-anethole from star anise or synthesis authorised for poultry and ornamental birds: GC-MS with retention time locking, methyleugenol up to 0.02 %, estragole up to 0.08 % and a limit of 25 mg/kg
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1811, published on 27 July 2026, authorises until 16 August 2036 as flavourings for poultry and ornamental birds eugenol extracted from dried clove leaves or clove leaf oil and trans-anethole extracted from leaves or fruit of star anise; it authorises synthetic trans-anethole for poultry and renews its authorisation for ornamental birds. Until now both compounds were authorised for all species except poultry and fish (Regulation 2022/1452, which the act amends).
- Specification and method: eugenol (2b04003i) — purity > 98 %, methyleugenol ≤ 0.02 %; synthetic trans-anethole (2b04010) — purity > 99 %; trans-anethole from star anise (2b04010i) — purity > 99 %, estragole ≤ 0.08 %. In all cases the substance is determined in the additive and flavouring premixtures by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry with retention time locking (GC-MS-RTL). The EU reference laboratory considered its 2011 evaluation of the methods still valid.
- Data from the EFSA opinion: 26 batches of trans-anethole (19 natural, 7 synthetic) contained on average 99.7 % (99.5–99.9 %); in synthetic batches cis-anethole 0.02–0.04 %, in 3 natural batches estragole 0.052–0.08 %, in the others below the limit of detection. 40 batches of natural eugenol — on average 99.74 % (99.2–100 %); methyleugenol 0.02 % in 4 of the 11 batches examined. EFSA excluded synthetic eugenol from the assessment because it received no batch data — the act authorises only eugenol from clove leaves for birds.
- Maximum content 25 mg/kg complete feed. The Commission also justifies it by the fact that eugenol and trans-anethole are already authorised in poultry as zootechnical additives at 5 mg/kg (eugenol) and 7.5 mg/kg (trans-anethole); the limit is to prevent doses that would increase the zootechnical effect beyond the flavouring effect. Eugenol 2b04003i must not be combined with additive 4d18; with other additives the methyleugenol or estragole content of feed must not exceed the level resulting from the additive with the highest content of them.
- The act also amends Regulation 2022/1452: it separates trans-anethole from pine oil and from synthesis, introduces the name “trans-anethole” instead of the synonym 1-methoxy-4-(prop-1(trans)-enyl)benzene and sets 25 mg/kg for ornamental birds for trans-anethole from pine oil. EFSA: eugenol is an eye irritant, both compounds are sensitisers, and with the natural additives users may be exposed to methyleugenol or estragole. trans-Anethole under the old rules: additive and premixtures made before 16 February 2027, feed for food-producing animals before 16 August 2027, other feed before 16 August 2028.