Eucalyptus tincture in feed only for animals for fattening: markers 1,8-cineole (GC-FID) and gallic acid (HPTLC), methyleugenol ≤ 0.00012 %, and for long-living animals analyses of acylphloroglucinols were missing
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/178, published on 26 January 2026, after re-evaluation authorises until 15 February 2036 a tincture from the leaves of Eucalyptus globulus Labill. (water/ethanol extraction) as a flavouring for animals for fattening: turkeys, chickens, pigs, calves, sheep, goats and cattle for fattening, camelids for fattening, rabbits and salmonids other than broodstock. EFSA could not assess safety for long-living and reproductive animals; the applicant then withdrew the application for the other species, and the additive was withdrawn from the market for them.
- Specification: dry matter 1.77–1.98 %, total phenolic compounds ≤ 0.491 % (as gallic acid), gallic acid ≤ 0.303 %, ellagic acid ≤ 0.018 %, flavonoids ≤ 0.032 % (as quercetin), 1,8-cineole ≤ 0.0036 %, methyleugenol ≤ 0.00012 %. Characterisation methods: spectrophotometry for total polyphenols and flavonoids, GC-FID for 1,8-cineole and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) for gallic acid — both are phytochemical markers.
- EFSA data (opinion e8801, five batches): the solvent makes up about 98.1 % of the tincture; total phenolics by Folin–Ciocalteu 0.404–0.491 %, gallic acid (HPTLC) on average 0.280 %, ellagic acid was determined by HPLC and flavonoids spectrophotometrically at 415 nm according to Ph. Eur.; 1,8-cineole at 23.0–35.6 mg/kg and methyleugenol at 1.10–1.21 mg/kg were determined by GC-FID.
- EFSA could not conclude for long-living and reproductive animals, because analytical data on mono- and diformylated adducts of acylphloroglucinols with terpenes in the tincture and data on their toxicity were missing. EFSA describes methyleugenol as a genotoxic carcinogen; its presence led the Commission to set maximum contents and the condition that combination with other botanical additives must not raise methyleugenol above the level from the tincture alone.
- Maximum contents in mg/kg complete feed: chickens 4, turkeys 5, minor porcine species for fattening and rabbits 6, pigs for fattening 7, sheep and goats for fattening and cattle for fattening 14, salmonids 15, veal calves up to 6 months 16. The additive only via a premixture, with skin, eye and respiratory protection. Stocks for species outside the authorisation: additive until 15 February 2027, premixtures until 15 May 2027, feed until 15 February 2028.