Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2026/1014 of 7 May 2026 concerning the authorisation of L-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 as a feed additive for all animal species
Date: 2026-05-07
Institutions: Directorate-General for Health and Food Safety, European Commission
Subjects: amino acid, animal feedingstuffs, food additive, market approval, microorganism








L_202601014EN.000101.fmx.xml












Official Journal of the European Union


EN
L series













2026/1014


8.5.2026







            COMMISSION IMPLEMENTING REGULATION (EU) 2026/1014
of 7 May 2026
         
concerning the authorisation of L-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 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-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517. 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-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 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 additive 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 16 September 2025 (2) that while the use of L-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 to supplement feed to compensate for tryptophan deficiency in feedingstuffs is safe for non-ruminant species, there may be a risk for an increased production of toxic metabolites when unprotected tryptophan is used in ruminants.The Authority also expressed concerns on the of use L-tryptophan in water for drinking due to the risk of nutritional imbalances and hygienic reasons. The Authority further concluded that the use of L-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 in animal nutrition is safe for the consumers and the environment. In the absence of data, it could not conclude on the potential of the additive to be irritant to skin or eyes or its potential to be a dermal sensitiser but stated that there is an inhalation risk to endotoxins for the users of the additive. The Authority further concluded that the substance is regarded as an efficacious source of the amino acid L-tryptophan for all non-ruminant species. In order to be as efficacious in ruminants as in non-ruminant species, it should be protected from ruminal degradation. 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-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 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 for all animal species. The Commission considers that possible hygiene risks related to the use of this amino acid in water for drinking, are to be addressed by feed business operators under their obligations to ensure compliance with the relevant hygiene requirements laid down in Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council (3) laying down requirements for feed hygiene. When fed to ruminants, L-tryptophan produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517 should 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-tryptophan 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, 7 May 2026.


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, 23(10), e9677. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2025.9677.

(3)  Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 January 2005 laying down requirements for feed hygiene (OJ L 35, 8.2.2005, p. 1, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg/2005/183/oj).




ANNEX













Identification number of the additive


Name of the 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





3c443i


L-tryptophan



Additive composition

L-tryptophan
1,1′- ethylidene-bis-L-tryptophan (EBT) ≤ 10 mg/kg
Solid form

Characterisation of the active substance

L-tryptophan ≥ 98 % (on a dry matter basis) produced with Escherichia coli CCTCC M 2024517
IUPAC name: (2S)-2-amino-3-(1H-indol-3-yl)propanoic acid
Chemical formula: C11H12N2O2

CAS number: 73-22-3

Analytical method
 (1)

For the identification of L-tryptophan in the feed additive:






—


Food Chemical Codex ‘L-tryptophan’ monograph




For the determination of tryptophan in the feed additive and premixtures:






—


High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) – EN ISO 13904




For the determination of tryptophan in compound feed:






—


High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) – Commission Regulation (EC) 152/2009




For the determination of tryptophan in water for drinking:






—


High performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD)






All animal species


-


-


-








1.


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










2.


The additive may be used via water for drinking.










3.


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










4.


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










5.


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










6.


The endotoxin content of the additive and its dusting potential shall ensure a maximal endotoxin exposure of 1 600  IU endotoxins/m3 air (2)











7.


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.






28 May 2036





(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)  Exposure calculated based on the endotoxin level and the dusting potential of the additive according to the method used by EFSA (EFSA Journal 2018; 16(10):5458); analytical method: European Pharmacopoeia 2.6.14. (bacterial endotoxins).







ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reg_impl/2026/1014/oj
ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)