Capsaicin as a flavouring in feed: HPLC-UV determination, purity ≥ 98 %, (E)/(Z) isomer ratio ≥ 6:1, at most 6.5 mg/kg — for cats 5.3 mg/kg
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/1784, published on 10 September 2025, authorises until 30 September 2035 chemically synthesised capsaicin (CAS 404-86-4, FEMA 3404) as a sensory additive for all animal species, only via premixtures. The Commission set maximum contents because capsaicin also has zootechnical and medicinal effects, which higher doses could trigger.
- Method: HPLC with spectrophotometric detection (HPLC-UV) for determining capsaicin in the additive, premixtures and compound feed (EU reference laboratory report verified by EFSA). Specification: purity min. 98 %, (E)/(Z) ≥ 6:1. Five batches: 98.9–99.8 % capsaicin; arsenic on average 0.073 and lead 0.056 mg/kg; aerobic plate count 1.0 × 10¹–7.2 × 10³ CFU/g — EFSA recommends monitoring this range during production.
- Dusting potential (Stauber-Heubach) 428–2670 mg/m³, on average 1840 mg/m³; particles < 10 µm in one batch only (1.1 %). Capsaicin irritates the respiratory tract and skin (OECD TG 439, tested as a 50 % solution) and is assumed to irritate the eyes; it is not a skin sensitiser (OECD TG 442C, D and E). Any user exposure is considered a risk — the act requires skin, eye and respiratory protection.
- EFSA derived safe concentrations from a NOAEL of 60 mg/kg bw per day (90-day rat study) and a factor of 100, e.g. 6.7 mg/kg for chickens for fattening, 14.4 for pigs for fattening, 31.7 for dogs; for cats an additional factor of 5 due to poor glucuronidation — 5.3 mg/kg. The act: 6.5 mg/kg for poultry, pigs, ruminants, equids, leporids, fish and dogs, 5.3 mg/kg for cats and other species.
- Residues: in the 90-day study at 120 mg/kg bw per day capsaicin in fat and muscle was below the LOD/LOQ, in liver up to 5.9 µg/kg (E) and 10.3 µg/kg (Z), in kidney up to 21 and 7.6 µg/kg. EFSA found these data insufficient to calculate consumer exposure but supportive of limited tissue deposition.