Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2025/634 of 1 April 2025 concerning the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401 as a feed additive for all animal species
Date: 2025-04-01
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: amino acid, animal feedingstuffs, drinking water, food additive, market approval, microorganism








L_202500634EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2025/634


2.4.2025







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2025/634
of 1 April 2025
         
concerning the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401 as a feed additive for all animal species
(Text with EEA relevance)


THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,


Having regard to Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 September 2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition (1), and in particular Article 9(2) thereof,

Whereas:







(1)


Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provides for the authorisation of additives for use in animal nutrition and for the grounds and procedures for granting such an authorisation.












(2)


In accordance with Article 7 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, an application was submitted for the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401. That application was accompanied by the particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.












(3)


The application concerns the authorisation of L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401 as a feed additive for use in feed and in water for drinking for all animal species, requesting that additive to be classified in the category ‘nutritional additives’ and in the functional group ‘amino acids, their salts and analogues’.












(4)


The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinion of 18 September 2024 (2) that, under the proposed conditions of use, L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401 is safe for the target species when supplemented in appropriate amounts to the diet according to their nutritional needs. However, the Authority has concerns on the safety of the substance for the target species resulting from the simultaneous administration of L-arginine via water for drinking and feed, due to possible amino acid imbalances and hygienic reasons. The Authority concluded that the use of L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401 in animal nutrition is considered safe for the consumers and for the environment. In the absence of data, the Authority could not conclude on the potential of the additive to be irritant to skin or eyes, or on its potential to be a dermal or respiratory sensitiser. The Authority further concluded that the substance is regarded as an efficacious source of the essential amino acid L-arginine for non-ruminant species and that for the substance to be fully efficacious in ruminants, it should be protected against degradation in the rumen. The Authority did not consider that there is a need for specific requirements of post-market monitoring. It also verified the report on the method of analysis of the feed additive in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.












(5)


In view of the above, the Commission considers that L-arginine produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401 satisfies the conditions provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Accordingly, the use of that substance as a feed additive should be authorised. When fed to ruminants, L-arginine needs to be protected against degradation in the rumen. It is appropriate to alert the user to take into account the dietary supply with all the essential and conditionally essential amino acids, in particular in the case of supplementation with L-arginine via water for drinking. In addition, the Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should be taken to prevent adverse effects on the health of the users of the additive.












(6)


The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,





HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:



Article 1

Authorisation

The substance specified in the Annex, belonging to the additive category ‘nutritional additives’ and to the functional group ‘amino acids, their salts and analogues’, is authorised as an additive in animal nutrition, subject to the conditions laid down in that Annex.


Article 2

Entry into force

This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.





This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.
Done at Brussels, 1 April 2025.


For the Commission


The President

Ursula VON DER LEYEN
            





(1)  
            OJ L 268, 18.10.2003, p. 29, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2003/1831/oj.

(2)  
            EFSA Journal 2024, 22(10), e9028.




ANNEX













Identification number of the feed additive


Additive


Composition, chemical formula, description, analytical method


Species or category of animal


Maximum age


Minimum content


Maximum content


Other provisions


End of period of authorisation




mg/kg of complete feed with 12 % moisture content





Category: nutritional additives. Functional group: amino acids, their salts and analogues





3c366


L-arginine



Additive composition:

L-arginine ≥ 98,5 % (on a dry matter basis)
Solid form


All animal species


—


—


—








1.


In the directions for use of the additive and premixtures, the storage conditions, the stability to heat treatment and in water shall be indicated.










2.


The additive may be used via water for drinking.










3.


Feed business operators shall ensure that L-arginine is rumen protected, when fed to ruminants.










4.


The moisture content shall be indicated on the label of the additive.










5.


The label of the additive and premixtures shall indicate the following:
‘The supplementation with L-arginine, in particular via water for drinking, shall take into account all essential and conditionally essential amino acids in order to avoid imbalances.’










6.


For users of the additive and premixtures, feed business operators shall establish operational procedures and organisational measures to address potential risks resulting from their use. Where those risks cannot be eliminated by such procedures and measures, the additive and premixtures shall be used with personal skin, eye and breathing protective equipment.






22 April 2035





Characterisation of the active substance:

L-arginine ((S)-2-amino-5-guanidinopentanoic acid) produced with Escherichia coli CGMCC 7.401
Chemical formula: C6H14N4O2

CAS number: 74–79-3





Analytical method
 (1):
For the identification of L-arginine in the feed additive:






—


Food Chemical Codex ‘L-arginine monograph’




For the determination of arginine in the feed additive and water:






—


Ion-exchange chromatography coupled with post-column derivatisation and optical detection (IEC-VIS);




For the determination of arginine in premixtures and compound feed:






—


Ion-exchange chromatography coupled with post-column derivatisation and optical detection (IEC-VIS), Commission Regulation (EC) 152/2009 (2)











(1)  Details of the analytical methods are available at the following address of the Reference Laboratory: https://joint-research-centre.ec.europa.eu/eurl-fa-eurl-feed-additives/eurl-fa-authorisation/eurl-fa-evaluation-reports_en.

(2)  Commission Regulation (EC) No 152/2009 of 27 January 2009 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of feed (OJ L 54, 26.2.2009, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2009/152/oj).



ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2025/634/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)