Veterinary Regulations: animal feeds
In this particular period, with the pandemic changing our daily life and our habits, pets have become more important. Therefore, the attention and care we dedicate to them have also increased. Pets are, in fact, more and more considered as part of the family and their welfare should be ensured. From a regulatory point of view, however, products intended for animals are not all well regulated; quite often the reference is the corresponding legislation for the human sphere, as far as applicable.
For medicinal products for veterinary use, and all related activities, including pharmacovigilance, the regulation is defined and processes are regulated.
However, for cosmetics and medical devices for veterinary use, it is not possible to identify a reference regulation. Holders are still responsible for the marketing of safe products, complying with the transversal applicable regulations, without claims or features that are not permitted for that type of product.
In fact, it is always required that the product, either a cosmetic or a medical device, is not associated to functions or properties classifying it as a medicinal product for human use. An evaluation of the composition and labelling of the product to be marketed is therefore always necessary.
On the other hand, in the sector of veterinary feeding, feeds are well regulated, and all the requirements to be met are well established. These products are often referred to as “supplements for animals”, however this is an improper terminology as these are actually animal feeds.
The requirements for the feed hygiene are established by EC Regulation no. 183/2005 and apply to all steps of feed manufacturing up to their marketing. The feed business operators should be preliminary registered or acknowledged according to the activities they carry out.
Sites of feed manufacturing
In particular, sites performing the steps of feed manufacturing, processing, storing, transport or distribution should send a notification to the territorial competent authority (Region/Autonomous Province) for the registration. The feed manufacturing sites should be specifically authorised.
As for the products, feeds should not follow a notification procedure before marketing, however there are detailed regulations on their composition and labelling.
The responsibility for the product safety and a correct information for the consumer is still of the feed business operator responsible for the product. The first evaluation to be carried out concerns therefore the composition, as it should be verified if the ingredients of the product are included among those admitted.
The presence of raw materials should be checked and one should make sure that the additives contained in the products are reported in the additive catalogue and authorised for the specific target species. Special conditions could be provided for about raw materials as well as additional indications to be reported in the label.
Feed labels
As for the labelling, there are minimum mandatory information to be indicated, such as the type of feed, information on the feed business operator responsible for the labelling and the site, batch, net weight and minimum storage life, target animal species, composition and all other specific additional indications for each single ingredients.
As for the indications that can be attributed to the product, it is necessary to present the feed correctly so that users are not misled, especially regarding its intended use and characteristics. Animal feeds should not be attributed with effects and properties that do not have and users should not be led to believe that they have special features that are also typical of feeds of the same kind.
Therefore, considering that the responsibility of the product is always of the company that place it on the market, a careful review is essential in order to ensure that all regulatory requirements are met.
Written by: Maria Pia Felici
Foto di Erich Westendarp da Pixabay
