Proposed new and amended livestock feed ingredients – Yeast-derived gut modifier ingredients: Closed consultation

Current status: Closed

This consultation ran from March 6, 2026, to April 20, 2026.

About the consultation

We were seeking comments on the new single ingredient feed (SIF) description:

• yeast hydrolysate dehydrated

In addition, we are seeking comments on the amended and reclassified SIF descriptions:

• yeast autolysate dehydrated
• yeast cell wall

Background

The Feeds Regulations, 2024 require a proponent to submit a pre-market application for new feed ingredients or SIFs that have been modified such that they differ from an approved SIF, or SIFs that are for a new purpose. We evaluate the information in the application to establish that the SIF is safe, effective, and labelled correctly.

Approved SIFs are listed and described in the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table (CFIT), which is incorporated by reference (IBR) into the Feeds Regulations, 2024. Our Incorporation by Reference Policy requires that a consultation be conducted before changes to IBR documents are made. Refer to Documents incorporated by reference under the Feeds Regulations, 2024 for additional information.

About the evaluation

Our Animal Feed Program (AFP) has completed a detailed evaluation of an application for the approval of a new SIF: yeast hydrolysate dehydrated.

The evaluation considered information related to:

• the safety of feeding this SIF to livestock with respect to animal health
• the safety of foods derived from livestock that eat this SIF
• the safety of workers/bystanders exposed to this SIF
• environmental safety
• the fit-for-purpose and efficacy of this SIF for the intended livestock species

The results of our evaluation of available scientific data support the safety and efficacy of yeast hydrolysate dehydrated as a component of gut modifier products for livestock species.

Therefore, we recommend that yeast hydrolysate dehydrated be approved as a new SIF and added to the CFIT, accordingly.

Our AFP has also completed detailed reviews for 2 related, existing SIF descriptions: yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall. The reviews of these SIF descriptions were a part of our ongoing review of the yeast-based SIF descriptions found in the CFIT.

As a result of our review, we have identified that the current description for yeast autolysate dehydrated needs to be amended and this SIF needs to be reclassified in the CFIT based on its approved purpose (as a gut modifier ingredient – prebiotic).

Therefore, we recommend yeast autolysate dehydrated be moved from subclass 6.21 (Fermentation products nonviable) of class 6 (Nutritional ingredients) in part 1 of the CFIT to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Nutritional ingredients) in part 1 of the CFIT and the amended SIF description replace the current SIF description in the CFIT, accordingly.

In addition, we have identified that the current description for yeast cell wall needs to be amended and this SIF should be moved from part 2 to part 1 within the same subclass with the intended purpose to be clarified (as a gut modifier ingredient – prebiotic).

Therefore, we recommend yeast cell wall be moved from 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Nutritional ingredients) in part 2 of the CFIT to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Nutritional ingredients) in part 1 of the CFIT and the amended SIF description replace the current SIF description in the CFIT, accordingly.

Proposed new SIF description

We intend to add yeast hydrolysate dehydrated under the subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Non-nutritive ingredients) in part 1 of the CFIT with the following description:

An ingredient number will be assigned at the time the SIF is added to the CFIT.

Amended and reclassified SIF descriptions

We intend to reclassify and amend the existing SIF description for yeast autolysate dehydrated. We intend to reclassify yeast autolysate dehydrated and move this SIF from subclass 6.21 (Fermentation products nonviable) of class 6 (Non-nutritive ingredients) of part 1 of the CFIT to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Non-nutritive ingredients) of part 1 of the CFIT.

This description is to be amended to:

• clarify the manufacturing process, including the use of endogenous processes and self-digestion
• include some of the standardized wording used in the new and revised descriptions for similar yeast SIFs
  • in particular the wording used in the descriptions for yeast hydrolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall
• specify the species of yeast
• clarify that the final SIF does not contain viable yeast cells
• clarify the intended purpose (that is, a gut modifier purpose) by including a required labelling statement on the SIF label for its purpose
• revise the existing required labelling statement
• update the required label guarantees by:
  • including the active components (that is, beta-glucans, mannans, mannan oligosaccharides)
  • removing the proximate guarantees (that is, crude protein and crude fibre)

The amended description is:

The ingredient number will be amended to reflect that this SIF has been moved from subclass 6.21 (Fermentation products nonviable) in part 1 of the CFIT to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) in part 1 of the CFIT. This is a reclassification and amendment of the existing SIF description.

We also intend to reclassify and amend the existing SIF description for yeast cell wall. We intend to reclassify yeast cell wall and move this SIF from subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Non-nutritive ingredients) of part 2 of the CFIT to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of class 6 (Non-nutritive ingredients) of part 1 of the CFIT. In other words, this existing SIF will be moved from part 2 to part 1 of the CFIT, but will remain in the same subclass (6.19.1 – Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics).

This description is to be amended to:

• clarify the manufacturing process
• include some of the standardized wording used in the new and revised descriptions for similar yeast SIFs
  • in particular the wording used in the descriptions for yeast hydrolysate dehydrated and yeast autolysate dehydrated
• specify the species of yeast
• clarify that the final SIF does not contain viable yeast cells
• clarify the intended purpose by including a required labelling statement on the SIF label for its purpose
• update the required label guarantees for mannans and/or mannan oligosaccharides

The amended description is:

An ingredient number will be amended to reflect that this SIF have been moved from subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) in part 2 of the CFIT to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) in part 1 of the CFIT. This is a reclassification and amendment of the existing SIF description.

Additional information

Since yeast hydrolysate dehydrated does not meet the existing SIF description for yeast autolysate dehydrated, including in terms of differences in the manufacturing processes, a separate new description was created for yeast hydrolysate dehydrated. Based on the pre-market evaluation, we determined that yeast hydrolysate dehydrated is suitable for approval with a gut modifier purpose and to be placed in subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics) of part 1 of the CFIT.

As a gut modifier ingredient, yeast hydrolysate dehydrated is being approved as a component of gut modifier products for livestock species. Ingredient-specific wording has been included in this proposed description to clarify how the yeast hydrolysate dehydrated differs from other similar SIFs, such as yeast autolysate dehydrated. As the structural components of interest in yeast hydrolysate dehydrated are beta-glucans, mannans, and mannan oligosaccharides, required label guarantees for these components have been included in the proposed description.

When creating the new description for yeast hydrolysate dehydrated, we also looked at 2 existing yeast-based descriptions (yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall) that were similar to yeast hydrolysate dehydrated, including with respect to their intended purpose. The reclassified and amended descriptions for yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall considered our findings of the evaluation for yeast hydrolysate dehydrated and our findings of the project to update yeast-based descriptions found in the CFIT. As we continue to work on updating how these yeast-based ingredients are named and described in the CFIT, ensuring accuracy of the descriptions is important as well as clarifying the intended approved purpose(s) of these yeast-based SIFs. For an ingredient to be considered approved, the ingredient must meet all aspects of the SIF description, including purpose.

Based on the efficacy and purpose of the similar ingredients (yeast hydrolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall), it was determined that yeast autolysate dehydrated aligns with a gut modifier purpose. As such, it is being reclassified from subclass 6.21 (Fermentation products nonviable) to subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients – Prebiotics).

The wording of the description for yeast autolysate dehydrated is being amended to align, where possible, with the descriptions for yeast hydrolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall. Ingredient-specific wording has also been added to clarify how the yeast autolysate dehydrated differs from the other ingredients. As the structural components of interest in yeast autolysate dehydrated are beta-glucans, mannans, and mannan oligosaccharides, the required guarantees have been amended to include them. The guarantees for crude protein and crude fibre have been removed from the amended yeast autolysate description as they are no longer relevant given the SIF's approved purpose and, therefore, are not required for this SIF.

Yeast cell wall is similar to yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast hydrolysate dehydrated that are part 1 SIFs, except the manufacturing process to produce yeast cell wall includes additional purification steps. There are also no unique safety concerns related to the different sources of this SIF. As such, it was determined that yeast cell wall would be suitable for moving from part 2 to part 1 of the CFIT. As a result of moving from part 2 to part 1 of the CFIT, sources of yeast cell wall will no longer require registration, provided the ingredient meets the SIF description and complies with all regulatory requirements, including labelling requirements, and compositional and safety standards.

The wording of the description for yeast cell wall is being amended to align, where possible, with the descriptions for yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast hydrolysate dehydrated. Yeast cell wall is still approved as a gut modifier ingredient (as a prebiotic), but we have clarified the intended purpose of this SIF (that is, it is approved as a component of gut modifier products for livestock species).

As it has been brought to our attention that some analytical methods might not permit the differentiation between mannans and mannan oligosaccharides, the required guarantees on the label for each of these SIFs allow a guarantee for either mannans or mannan oligosaccharides or a guarantee for both.

Please note that yeast hydrolysate dehydrated, yeast autolysate dehydrated, and yeast cell wall are all approved for use as components of gut modifier products for livestock species. Gut modifier products are specialty feeds that require registration.

Yeast hydrolysate dehydrated, yeast autolysate dehydrated, and yeast cell wall would not be considered appropriate to use as carriers in mixed feeds. As per the Feeds Regulations, 2024, a carrier "means a single ingredient feed or water used to facilitate the handling of a feed and its incorporation into ingredient market formulations, premixes, feed or water. The use of a carrier does not alter the feed's intended effect and purpose." Given that these 3 yeast-derived SIFs have gut modifying effects in the livestock that consume these feeds, in part because these feeds are manufactured for their active components listed in the guarantees, these ingredients would not be considered suitable as carriers. SIFs that would be suitable as carriers can be found in many classes of the CFIT, including yeast-derived ingredients like yeast brewers dehydrated found in class 3; calcium carbonate, in class 5; and diatomaceous earth, in class 6. Mixed feeds currently containing the yeast ingredients that have a gut modifier purpose would either need to be reformulated or obtain registration as gut modifier products, as noted above.

Since yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall are part 1 SIFs, companies will have 6 months from the time these amended and/or reclassified descriptions are added to the CFIT to update their labels to reflect any required changes. For registered sources of yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall, companies will have until their next renewal cycle to update their labels to reflect any changes and may be required to provide data to support the required label guarantees as well as data to support its approved purpose (Gut modifier ingredient – Prebiotics).

For registered feeds affected by these changes, the label of the registered feed may be updated at time of renewal. Companies may be required to provide data to support the required label guarantees as well as data to support its approved purpose (Gut modifier ingredient – Prebiotics) at time of renewal.

For non-registered mixed feeds containing yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall, they may be formulated into feeds for their approved purpose, a component of gut modifier products. Within 6 months from the time these descriptions are included in the CFIT, companies will no longer be able to continue to formulate feeds with these SIFs as a source of protein or as a carrier and can only formulate feeds for their intended approve purpose (Gut modifier ingredient – Prebiotics).

If a proponent wishes to have a SIF approved for a new purpose, a pre-market application for approval must be submitted with supporting data to demonstrate that the SIF is safe and effective for the new purpose. If the outcome of the pre-market evaluation is positive, a new description for the ingredient with that purpose will be prepared and will undergo consultation prior to being added to the CFIT.

Who was the focus of this consultation

Animal feed stakeholders, including:

• suppliers of feed ingredients
• commercial feed manufacturers
• feed importers, distributors and retailers
• industry associations
• other government departments
• international trading partners
• veterinarians

All comments were welcome from industry, governments, the public, or other organizations or individuals.

Next steps

We will review all the comments received. If no significant scientifically valid concerns are raised, we will finalize the approval of yeast hydrolysate dehydrated and issue the approval to the applicant.

In addition, if no significant scientifically valid concerns are raised, we will finalize the amended and reclassified descriptions for yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall.

If significant concerns are raised, we will evaluate the additional information.

Yeast hydrolysate dehydrated will be added to the CFIT at the next update.

In addition, the amended and reclassified descriptions for yeast autolysate dehydrated and yeast cell wall will be added to the CFIT at the next update.

Related information

• Feeds Act
• Consultations on proposed regulatory and policy changes

Contact us

Animal Feed Program (AFP)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Email: cfia.afp-paa.acia@inspection.gc.ca