Botanically Defined Flavourings Group BDG 09 - Zingiberales - 2b180, 2b163-eo, 2b163-or, 2b163-ex, 2b163-t, 2b489- eo, 2b489- or, 2b489- t

In the current grouped application authorisation is sought under articles 4(1) and 10(2) for cardamom oil, turmeric oil, turmeric oleoresin, turmeric extract, turmeric tincture, ginger oil, ginger oleoresin, ginger extract and ginger tincture from botanically defined flavourings group 09 (BDG 09) as the feed additives under the category/functional group (2b) "sensory additives"/"flavouring compounds", according to the classification system of Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Authorisation is sought for the use of the feed additives for all animal species and categories. 

In the report and the following addendum, the EURL evaluated the suitability of analytical methods for official control of eight (from the nine) above listed feed additives. 

For the ninth feed additive of this grouped application, namely ginger extract, the European Commission had accepted the request from the Applicant to withdraw the application for this feed additive. Therefore, the analytical methods for ginger extract were not evaluated for this dossier. 

According to the Applicant, the feed additives have the following characteristics:

• Cardamom oil is a transparent colourless to pale yellow fluid liquid with characteristic odour, consisting of 30 to 42 % (expressed as a relative area) of terpineol acetate as a phytochemical marker;
• Turmeric oil is a liquid, consisting of 40 to 60 % of ar-turmerone and 5 to 15 % of beta-turmerone as phytochemical markers; the content of the markers is expressed as the relative individual peak areas in the chromatogram.
• Turmeric oleoresin is a viscous liquid, consisting of 20 to 35 % (w/w) of total curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bis-demethoxycurcumin) as a phytochemical marker;
• Turmeric extract is a powder consisting of a minimum of 90 % (w/w) of total curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bis-demethoxycurcumin) as a phytochemical marker;
• Turmeric tincture is a liquid consisting of 0.04 to 0.09 % (w/v) total curcuminoids (curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bis-demethoxycurcumin) as phytochemical marker;
• Ginger oil is a liquid consisting of 29 to 40 % of alpha-zingiberene, 8 to 14 % of betasesquiphellandrene and 5 to 12 % of ar-curcumene as phytochemical markers; the content of the markers is expressed as the relative individual peak areas in the chromatogram;
• Ginger oleoresin is a viscous liquid consisting of 0.5 to 8 % (w/w) of total gingerols and 3 to 6 % (w/w) of total shogaols as phytochemical markers; and
• Ginger tincture is a liquid consisting of 0.08 to 0.13 % (w/v) of total gingerols and 0.02 to 0.04 % (w/v) of total shogaols as phytochemical markers.

Based on the experimental evidence available the EURL recommends for official control the following methods:

• ISO 4733 standard method based on GC-FID for the determination of terpineol acetate (phytochemical marker) in cardamom oil.
• the method based on GC-MS using RTL methodology together with the GCFID based on generic ISO 11024 standard method for the determination of the phytochemical markers: ar-turmerone and beta-turmerone in the feed additive (turmeric oil);
• the JECFA method based on spectrophotometry using the specific absorbance of curcumin for the quantification of the phytochemical marker (total curcuminoids) in the feed additive (turmeric oleoresin);
• the JECFA method based on spectrophotometry using specific absorbance of curcumin for the quantification of the phytochemical marker (total curcuminoids) in the feed additive (turmeric extract);
• the spectrophotometric method based on European Pharmacopeia monograph “Turmeric for the quantification of the phytochemical marker (total curcuminoids) in the feed additive (turmeric tincture);
• the method based on GC-MS using RTL methodology together with the GC-FID based on the generic ISO 11024 standard method for the determination of the phytochemical markers: alpha-zingiberene, beta-sesquiphellandrene and ar-curcumene in the feed additive (ginger oil);
• the ISO 13685 standard method for the quantification of the phytochemical markers: total gingerols and total shogaols in the feed additive (ginger oleoresin and ginger tincture).

Further testing or validation of the methods to be performed through the consortium of National Reference Laboratories as specified by Article 10 (Commission Regulation (EC) No 378/2005, as last amended by Regulation (EU) 2015/1761) is not considered necessary.

Recommended Method

as of:

- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2020/1098

For the determination of terpineol acetate (phytochemical marker) in the feed additive (cardamom oil): 

— gas chromatography coupled with flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) – ISO 4733

as of:

- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/551

- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/385

For the quantification of the phytochemical markers: ar-turmerone and beta- turmerone in the feed additive (turmeric oil): 

— Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (full scan mode) using Retention Time Locking (RTL) methodology (or standard substances of the phytochemical markers) with (or without) gas chromatography coupled to flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) based on the ISO 11024 standard method

For the quantification of the phytochemical marker (total curcuminoids) in the feed additive (turmeric oleoresin): 

— Spectrophotometry – FAO JECFA Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications, ‘Turmeric Oleoresin’, monograph No 1 (2006)

For the quantification of the phytochemical marker (total curcuminoids) in the feed additive (turmeric extract): 

— Spectrophotometry – FAO JECFA Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications, ‘Curcumin’, monograph No 1 (2006)

For the quantification of the phytochemical marker (total curcuminoids) in the feed additive (turmeric tincture): 

— Spectrophotometry (based on European Pharmacopeia monograph ‘Turmeric Javanese’ (01/2008:1441))

as of:

- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/485

- Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/385

For the quantification of alpha-zingiberene, beta- sesquiphellandrene and ar-curcumene in the feed additive: 

 Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) (full scan mode) using Retention Time Locking (RTL) methodology (or standard substances of the phytochemical markers) with (or without) gas chromatography coupled to flame ionisation detection (GC-FID) based on the ISO 11024 standard method.

For the quantification of the phytochemical markers: total gingerols and total shogaols in the feed additive (ginger oleoresin): 

— High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with spectrophotometric (UV) detection – ISO 13685

For the quantification of the phytochemical markers: total gingerols and total shogaols in the feed additive (ginger tincture): 

— High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with spectrophotometric (UV) detection – ISO 13685