Taurine in feed renewed until 2036: new limits of 2000 mg/kg for dogs and mustelids and 25 000 mg/kg for carnivorous fish, water for drinking only for cats, three methods from Ph. Eur. 2.2.56 to AOAC 999.12
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1859, published on 30 July 2026, renews until 19 August 2036 the authorisation of taurine (a preparation containing at least 97 % taurine, the taurine itself of at least 98 % purity) as a nutritional additive for Felidae, Canidae, Mustelidae and carnivorous fish and other carnivorous aquatic species except mammals; it repeals Regulation 2015/722. The applicant withdrew the request for a new use in poultry and pigs. New are maximum contents for the species for which no margin of safety could be established, and water for drinking being allowed only for Felidae.
- Methods in the annex: taurine in the additive is determined by ion-exchange chromatography with post-column ninhydrin derivatisation (Ph. Eur. 2.2.56, Method 1); in premixtures and compound feed — by ion-exchange chromatography with post-column derivatisation and optical detection (IEC-VIS) or reversed-phase HPLC with post-column derivatisation and fluorescence detection (AOAC 999.12); in water for drinking — by HPLC with UV or fluorescence detection.
- Maximum contents: Canidae and Mustelidae 2000 mg/kg, carnivorous fish and other carnivorous aquatic species (except mammals) 25 000 mg/kg complete feed; there is no limit for Felidae. According to EFSA, taurine at 0.05–0.25 % of feed is safe for cats with a margin of 4–20, 2.0–2.5 % is safe for carnivorous fish, and levels up to 0.2 % are tolerated by other species without a margin of safety. The Commission considered that the former term “fish” covered all aquatic species except mammals; it bases the absence of risk in crustaceans and molluscs on three publications on crabs, shrimps and clams.
- Batch data from the EFSA opinion: 5 batches contained 99.1–100 % taurine, nickel in 3 batches 0.027–0.091 mg/kg, Stauber-Heubach dusting potential 3700–5300 mg/m³; no losses were found in water (20 °C, 48 h), and the homogeneity coefficient of variation in feed was 8.6 %. Because of the dusting potential EFSA considered inhalation exposure likely and noted the presence of nickel; EFSA also considered the additive a skin and eye irritant and a skin and respiratory sensitiser.
- Water for drinking is allowed only for Felidae, because compliance with the maximum content cannot be effectively controlled when the additive is given in both water and feed. EFSA recalls that already in 2012 it recommended that synthetic taurine should no longer be authorised in poultry, pigs and ruminants, as it is not effective there, and that 0.25–0.5 % in feed of laying hens was associated with a reduction in egg weight. Additive and premixtures made under the old rules before 19 February 2027, feed for food-producing animals before 19 August 2027 and other feed before 19 August 2028 may be used until stocks are exhausted.