Perlite (natural silicate of sodium and aluminium expanded by heating)

In the current application an authorisation is sought under Article 4(1) for perlite (natural silicate of sodium and aluminium expanded by heating) under the category / functional group 1(i) “technological additives”/”anticaking agents”, 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 for all terrestrial animal species.
The feed additive is a naturally occurring product composed of minimum of 95 % (w/w) of expanded amorphous aluminosilicate volcanic glass and less than 1 % (w/w) of sodium and potassium feldspars.
The feed additive is intended to be used in premixtures and compound feed. The Applicant proposed a minimum recommended inclusion level of the feed additive of 1 g / kg compound feed.
For the determination of the mineralogical composition of the feed additive the Applicant proposed a powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrometry, which is described in EN 13925 standard method. Furthermore, the feed additive was characterised by using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry proposed by the Applicant, which is described in EN ISO 12677 standard method.
Based on the experimental evidence available, the EURL recommends for official control of the feed additive the crystallographic characterisation by X-ray diffraction (XRD) spectrometry (EN 13925) together with the elemental analysis by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectrometry (EN ISO 12677).
The Applicant provided no analytical method or experimental data for the determination of the perlite (natural silicate of sodium and aluminium expanded by heating) in premixtures and compound feed, as the unambiguous determination of the feed additive added to the matrices is not achievable experimentally. Therefore, the EURL cannot evaluate nor recommend any method for official control for the determination of perlite (natural silicate of sodium and aluminium expanded by heating) in premixtures and compound feed.
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.