Current status: Closed
The consultation was open from February 14, 2025 to March 14, 2025
About the consultation
We were seeking comments on the following proposed new single ingredient feed (SIF) description for chicory inulin.
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: chicory inulin.
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 supports the safety and efficacy of chicory inulin as a prebiotic for use as a component of gut modifier products intended for salmonid fish.
Therefore, we recommend chicory inulin be approved as a new SIF and added to the CFIT, accordingly.
Proposed SIF description
We intend to add chicory inulin under Subclass 6.19.1 (Gut modifier ingredients - Prebiotics) of Class 6 (Non-nutritive ingredients) in part 1 of the CFIT with the following description:
Chicory inulin (or Cichorium intybus L. inulin or chicory inulin powder)
is the dried polysaccharide product obtained from the roots of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus L.) by hot water extraction, purification by physical means, and then spray-drying.
It shall contain not less than 90% inulin on a dry matter basis.
It shall not contain other extraneous materials except in such amounts as may occur unavoidably during good manufacturing practices.
This ingredient is approved as a prebiotic for use as a component of gut modifier products for salmonid fish.
If a carrier is used, it must be approved for use in livestock feeds, it shall be used at the approved rate, and the common name or names shall be indicated on the label.
If an anticaking or flow agent is used, it must be approved for use in livestock feeds, it shall be used at the approved rate, and the common name or names shall be indicated on the label.
It shall be labelled with the following statement:
"This ingredient is approved as a prebiotic for use as a component of gut modifier products for salmonid fish."
It shall be labelled with guarantees for minimum percent inulin, and maximum percent moisture.
An ingredient number will be assigned at the time the SIF is added to the CFIT.
Additional information
Chicory inulin is a dried polysaccharide product obtained from the roots of the chicory plant (Cichorium intybus L.) by hot water extraction and purification by physical means, which is then spray-dried. This SIF will be placed into part 1 of the CFIT because the relatively simple manufacturing process is not expected to have any significant impacts on the specifications and composition of the final SIF product, and the manufacturing process results in producing a product of high purity (that is, over 99% consisting of carbohydrates of which 90% is inulin).
Chicory inulin is different from chicory root powder (1-617-086) found in Subclass 6.17 (Flavour ingredients) of part 1 of the CFIT. Chicory root powder is the dried whole roots of the chicory plant and is approved as flavour ingredient in livestock feeds in an amount not to exceed 0.0100 % or 100 g/tonne of the complete feed.
This new SIF, chicory inulin, is approved as a prebiotic and can only be used as a component of gut modifier products intended for salmonid fish. There are no restrictions on the maximum inclusion rate of this SIF in livestock feeds, however there are restrictions on intended livestock species (only approved for use in gut modifier products intended for salmonid fish).
This SIF will be 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 were welcomed from industry, governments, the public, or other organizations or individuals.
How to participate
We were seeking feedback on the proposed description for chicory inulin.
Stakeholders were encouraged to share comments if there were:
- concerns about the accuracy of the SIF description
- any scientific data that should be considered before the SIF is approved
Our 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 "chicory inulin" in the subject line of the email. We were asking for comments and feedback by March 14, 2025, 30 days from the date of this posting.
Next steps
We will review all of the comments received. If no significant scientifically valid concerns are raised, we will finalize the approval of chicory inulin and issue the approval to the applicant. If significant concerns are raised, we 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 SIF 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