NEWS ▶▶▶ US: More efficient approval of new feed ingredients
The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the US government have agreed that in or- der for the US feed industry to grow and expand its research into animal nutrition, a clear and ef- ficient process is needed to approve new ingre- dients. “We need a reliable regulatory system for the safety reviews and approvals, and unfortu- nately this process has not always been the most efficient,” explains Leah Wilkinson, AFIA vice president of public policy and education. “It’s a priority for our members to have an ap- propriate response and timeframe for applica- tions for review of new ingredients. The US lags behind other countries in this area and there- fore our member-companies are not bringing products forward in the US as they are else- where. We are very pleased that the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has responded to our concerns and we are excited about current and future progress.” Simply put, there has not been enough capacity to review ingredients at the Division of Animal Feeds at the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM). “There is a huge
backlog in applications,” says Wilkinson. “We es- timate that this backlog has already resulted in US $ 1.75 million in lost revenue for every year of delay to feed ingredient manufacturers, and while we have no way to estimate the losses that livestock producers have experienced be- cause they have not had the benefits of using new products, it is surely significant.” According to Wilkinson, the approval process for a non- drug feed ingredient in the US typically takes three to five years and the only claims currently allowable relate to taste, nutrition or aroma. “However, these ingredients have other benefits and right now, manufacturers aren’t able to make claims related to those benefits, although they have the science to prove them,” she ex- plains. “We are very pleased that the FDA is re- viewing this interpretation of the regulatory policy so that substances that improve produc- tion or reduce environmental impact can have claims associated with them and be regulated as feeds when appropriate. As I’ve said, other countries are already ahead of the US on this.”
Lupins as a soya substitute for broiler nutrition
Delegates at the NFU’s annual poultry research seminar heard that, while progress is being made, there are still hurdles to overcome be- fore lupins are commercially viable. Brian Kenyon, ABN senior nutrition manager, said the poultry sector needed an alternative pro- tein source, adding that at present the UK im- ports 3 mt soya/year, made up of 2 mt of meal and 1 mt of beans. Questions were being raised about the impact of these imports on the environment, sustainability, and security of supply. Kenyon said that in the past, UK pro- ducers had relied on rapeseed with some peas and beans, but lupins − with their higher pro- tein levels (28-34%) and high fibre content (10-12%) − showed promise. Protein levels are higher than beans (26-28%) but lower than soybean meal (46%). ABN’s experience with lu- pins has come about from an approach by Frontier, who were using lupins in a small trial in Kent as an alternative break crop to rape- seed. Two varieties were trialled: the blue vari- ety Boregine and the white variety Dieta. Tonnages were small and limited, but research
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showed that the key alkaloid level of around 400mg/kg was well within the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) limits.
Commerical trial ABN then carried out a commercial trial last year using an independent grower in North Yorkshire. Two trials were carried out in six houses, each containing 43,500 Ross 308 broil- ers. The first trial involved giving blue lupins to four houses with two control houses, while the second involved broilers from two houses re- ceiving white lupins with four control houses. Measurements inlcuded live performance KPIs
▶ ALL ABOUT FEED | Volume 29, No. 4, 2021
(live weight, FCR, and mortality), litter condi- tion – visual and litter usage – and foot pads and hock scores. The diet design was formulat- ed with minimum levels of lupins – increasing from 1.5% in starter crumbs to 7.5% in finisher pellets. The results showed no difference in life performance at 39 days, no welfare issues and no problems with palatability. If the average lupin performance was applied to the whole farm of 261,000 birds, this would reduce soya usage of this crop of birds by 29 t. i.e., a 2.8% reduction in dietary soya level (21.4% to 18.6%). Concluding, Kenyon said: “Lupins can be a suit- able alternative protein to soybean meal in broiler diets, but, and it’s a big but, at current raw material prices, lupins are not cost compet- itive with soybean meal in broiler diets. “De- hulling the lupins would improve the protein level by removing the fibre. This would add val- ue to lupins but also increase the cost.” So, nov- el protein sources need a wider commitment from the whole supply chain to apply commer- cially to ensure consistent supply, he added.
In 2020, the FDA agreed to allocate US$ 5 mil- lion for 12 new staff for the review and approval of new livestock feed ingredients. “The resourc- es for the new hires are welcome, as the innova- tive products that various companies are com- ing up with certainly keep us busy,” explains Dr David Edwards, who has served as the CVM di- rector of animal feeds for the past six years. Ed- wards and his colleagues also recognise the need to update the policy interpretations for feed ingredient approval, whether the claims re- late to reduced environmental impact, im- proved food safety, or improvements to animal well-being or production.
FOTO: ALEX MULDER
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