Lavender tincture in feed: three techniques in the specification — spectrophotometry of polyphenols, GC-FID of volatile constituents and HPLC-UV of rosmarinic acid, methyleugenol up to 0.0008 %; tincture from hybrid lavender withdrawn
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/2120, published on 25 September 2026, authorises until 15 October 2036 a tincture from the dried flowers of Lavandula angustifolia Mill. (water–ethanol extraction) as a flavouring in feed for all animal species and withdraws from the market the tincture from hybrid lavender L. angustifolia × L. latifolia, for which the applicant provided no data and then withdrew the application. The maximum contents follow from the presence of methyleugenol.
- Specification (in % by mass of the tincture): dry matter 1.62–1.76 %, total polyphenols ≤ 0.222 % (as gallic acid), flavonoids ≤ 0.0279 % (as hyperoside), linalool ≤ 0.0170 %, linalyl acetate ≤ 0.0035 %, 1,8-cineole ≤ 0.0133 %, camphor ≤ 0.0190 %, rosmarinic acid ≤ 0.0058 %, methyleugenol ≤ 0.0008 %, thujone ≤ 0.00001 %. Methods: spectrophotometry for polyphenols and flavonoids, GC-FID for linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole and camphor, HPLC-UV for rosmarinic acid. The EU reference laboratory also recommended an HPTLC profile for unequivocal identification of the tincture — the act does not list it.
- Data from the EFSA opinion (5 batches): solvent makes up on average 98.34 % of the tincture; polyphenols 0.198–0.222 % by the Folin–Ciocalteu method (760 nm), flavonoids 0.0242–0.0279 % (415 nm), rosmarinic acid 0.0057–0.0058 % (HPLC-UV, 330 nm), camphor 0.0140–0.0190 %, methyleugenol 0.0002–0.0008 %, coumarin 0.0036–0.0056 %; thujones were not detected (limit of detection 0.13 mg/L, below 0.00001 %). EFSA notes that the Folin–Ciocalteu method does not give the true concentrations of individual polyphenols and may overestimate them compared with HPLC. EFSA expresses flavonoids as quercetin equivalents, the act as hyperoside.
- Maximum contents in mg additive/kg complete feed: ornamental fish 500; dogs 284; salmonids 270; calves for fattening up to 6 months 269; sheep and goats, cattle and other ruminants for fattening, Equidae and cats 237; Suidae for reproduction 157; other ruminants 154; pigs for fattening 129; piglets 108; Leporidae 95; laying and reared-for-laying poultry and ornamental birds 89; turkeys for fattening 81; chickens for fattening and other species 60 — in line with the EFSA values.
- Stocks of hybrid lavender tincture may be used until 15 October 2027, premixtures made with it until 15 January 2028 and feed until 15 October 2028. For lavender tincture under the old rules: additive and premixtures made before 15 April 2027, feed for food-producing animals before 15 October 2027, other feed before 15 October 2028. EFSA considered the tincture a skin and eye irritant and a skin and respiratory sensitiser, with possible user exposure to methyleugenol; the additive is used only via a premixture.