Chlorophyllins

In the current application an authorisation is sought under Article 4(1) for chlorophyllins under the category/ functional group (4d) "zootechnical additives"/"other zootechnical additives", according to the classification system of Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Specifically, the authorisation is sought for the use of the feed additive as faecal marker compound for chickens and turkeys for fattening, and minor poultry species.
According to the Applicant, the feed additive is a dark green, free flowing powder composed of processed chlorophylls, namely of chlorophyllins, considered by the Applicant as active substances. In addition, the Applicant specified several additional criteria for the feed additive which are similar to the ones for chlorophyllins E140(ii) as food additive specified in Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012.
The feed additive is intended to be used in feedingstuffs or water for drinking at a minimum level of 0.045 g chlorophyllins / animal / day for a period not longer than 24 h before slaughtering.
For the determination of chlorophyllins in the feed additive the Applicant submitted a spectrophotometric method, which is based on the internationally recognised method for the determination of total colouring matters content described in the FAO JECFA monographs No. 1 (Vol. 4).
Based on all available information, the EURL recommends for official control the above mentioned spectrophotometric method based on the internationally recognised method for the determination of total colouring matters content described in the FAO JECFA monographs No. 1 (Vol. 4) for the determination of chlorophyllins in the feed additive.
For the determination of chlorophyllins in feedingstuffs and water for drinking the Applicant did not prove the suitability of the corresponding methods for official control and did not express the dose of chlorophyllins in feedingstuffs or water for drinking as the mass fraction of the active substances in the mentioned matrices.
Therefore, the EURL is not able to recommend any method for the determination of chlorophyllins in feedingstuffs or water for drinking.
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.