Vermiculite

In the current application an authorisation is sought under Article 4 for vermiculite, under the category/functional group 1(i) 'technological additives' / 'binders' and 'anticaking agents', according to Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. The authorisation is sought for the use of the feed additive for all animal species and categories.
According to the Applicant, vermiculite is a magnesium aluminium iron silicate powder mainly consisting of (w/w) 20-40 % Magnesium oxide (MgO), 7-15 % of Aluminium oxide (Al2O3), 4-10 % of Iron oxide (Fe2O3) and 35-45 % of Silicon dioxide (SiO2). The feed additive is intended to be used for all monogastric species through complementary feed, premixtures or directly added to compound feed. The Applicant proposed a maximum dose corresponding to 50 g/kg feed additive in feed.
As the unambiguous determination of vermiculite or the feed additive added to premixtures and compound feed is not achievable experimentally, the EURL cannot evaluate nor recommend any method for official control for the determination of vermiculite in the feed additive, premixtures and compound feed.
For the elemental characterisation of a similar feed additive, the EURL recommended for official control the EN ISO 12677 method based on X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry. Furthermore, the Applicant, in the frame of the studies supporting the present dossier, applied the EN ISO 12677 method presenting satisfactory results.
Based on the experimental evidence presented the EURL recommends for official control the EN ISO 12677 method based on X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry for the elemental characterisation of the feed additive
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.