Safety and efficacy of a feed additive consisting of an essential oil from the seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg oil) for all animal species (FEFANA asbl)
Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil from the seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg oil), when used as a sensory additive in feed and water for drinking for all animal species. Th...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-06-01
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| Series: | EFSA Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2023.8066 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of an essential oil from the seeds of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg oil), when used as a sensory additive in feed and water for drinking for all animal species. The additive contains myristicin (up to 12%), safrole (2.30%), elemicin (0.40%) and methyleugenol (0.33%). For long‐living and reproductive animals, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) considered it very unlikely that the use of the additive will induce adverse effects at the proposed level in complete feed of 0.2 mg/kg for laying hens and rabbits, 0.3 mg/kg for sows and dairy cows, 0.5 mg/kg for sheep/goats, horses and cats, 0.6 mg/kg for dogs and 2.5 mg/kg for ornamental fish. For short‐living animals, the Panel had no safety concern when the additive is used at the maximum proposed use level of 10 mg/kg for veal calves, cattle for fattening, sheep/goats, horses for meat production, and salmon and for the other species, at 3.3 mg/kg for turkeys for fattening, 2.8 mg/kg chickens for fattening, 5.0 mg/kg for piglets, 6.0 mg/kg for pigs for fattening and 4.4 mg/kg for rabbits for meat production. These conclusions were extrapolated to other physiologically related species. For any other species, the additive was considered very unlikely to induce adverse effects at 0.2 mg/kg. The use of nutmeg oil in animal feed is expected to be of no concern for consumers and the environment. The additive should be considered as irritant to skin and eyes and as a skin and respiratory sensitiser. Based on the presence of safrole, nutmeg oil is classified as carcinogen (category 1B) and handled accordingly. Since nutmeg oil is recognised to flavour food and its function in feed would be the same, no further demonstration of efficacy was considered necessary. |
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| ISSN: | 1831-4732 |