Current status: Closed
This consultation ran from October 25, 2024 to November 25, 2024.
About the consultation
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was seeking comments on the following amended single ingredient feed (SIF) description for calcified red seaweed dried ground.
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. The CFIA evaluates 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. The CFIA's 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
The CFIA's Animal Feed Program (AFP) has completed a detailed evaluation of an application for the amendment of an existing SIF description: calcified red seaweed dried ground.
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 the CFIA's evaluation of available scientific data supports the safety and efficacy of calcified red seaweed dried ground for its intended purpose as a source of minerals in feeds for all terrestrial livestock species.
Therefore, the CFIA recommends the description for calcified red seaweed dried ground be amended, and the amended SIF description replace the current SIF description in the CFIT, accordingly.
Amended SIF description
The CFIA intends to amend the existing SIF description for calcified red seaweed dried ground under Subclass 5.3 (Minerals) of Class 5 (Nutritional ingredients) in part 2 of the CFIT. The amended description is:
Calcified red seaweed dried ground (or coralline red algae dried ground or calcareous red seaweed dried ground)
is the dried, ground product resulting from the harvest of free-living, non-geniculate (lacking calcified joints) marine algae belonging to the phylum Rhodophyta and the order Corallinales. This product is principally composed of, but not limited to, the following calcareous red seaweeds: Phymatolithon calcareum, Lithothamnion corallioides, and Lithothamnion glaciale.
This ingredient is approved for use as a source of minerals in feeds for terrestrial livestock.
It shall be labelled with guarantees for minimum percent calcium, minimum percent magnesium, maximum milligrams iodine per kilogram, maximum percent moisture, maximum percent sulfate, and maximum milligrams strontium per kilogram.
Additional information
An application was submitted to expand the list of livestock species for which calcified red seaweed dried ground (2-503-003) is approved for as a source of minerals in feeds. The application was a significant change to add horses as another approved species for which this SIF is approved for. Based on the information available, the CFIA has determined that this SIF can be used as a source of minerals in feeds for all terrestrial livestock species (and not just cattle, swine, poultry and horses).
This ingredient is still approved as a source of minerals in feeds, but the description has been amended to include feeds for all terrestrial livestock species. The SIF description will remain in part 2 of the CFIT due to variations in the species of marine algae being used and variations in the manufacturing process which may impact the composition of the final SIF product.
This SIF is imported as a dried and ground powder.
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 are welcome from industry, governments, the public, or other organizations or individuals.
How to participate
The CFIA is seeking feedback on the amended description for calcified red seaweed dried ground.
Stakeholders were encouraged to share comments if there was:
- concerns about the accuracy of the SIF description
- any scientific data that should be considered before the SIF is amended
The CFIA evaluators will review scientific questions or information for consideration in the evaluation. They will also evaluate non-scientific input and explore appropriate ways of addressing it.
Comments can be sent by email to the Animal Feed Program (AFP) at cfia.afp-paa.acia@inspection.gc.ca. Please use "calcified red seaweed dried ground" in the subject line of the email. The CFIA was asking for comments and feedback by November 25, 2024, 30 days from the date of this posting.
Next steps
The CFIA will review all of the comments received. If no significant scientifically valid concerns are raised, the CFIA will finalize the amended description and approval of calcified red seaweed dried ground and issue the approval to the applicant. If significant concerns are raised, the CFIA will evaluate the additional information and may, subject to the commenters' consent, forward the comments to the applicant for their response. A what we heard report that summarizes the feedback received will be published.
This amended SIF description will be added to the CFIT at the next update.
Related information
Contact us
Animal Feed Program (AFP)
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
59 Camelot Drive
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0Y9
Email: cfia.afp-paa.acia@inspection.gc.ca