Safety for the environment of vitamin D3 for salmonids

Abstract

The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP Panel) of EFSA assessed the safety for the target species and the consumer of the use of a maximum total level of 1.5 mg vitamin D₃/kg feed in fish nutrition (2017). The assessment was based on data that had been provided by the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (NFSA). Since the data set provided by the NFSA did not include any new information concerning the safety for the user and the environment, the 2017 opinion did not address the potential effects of the proposed increase in the maximum authorised levels of vitamin D₃ on the safety for the user and the environment. The NFSA has submitted additional data and the European Commission has requested EFSA to deliver a new opinion on the safety for the environment of vitamin D₃ as a nutritional additive for salmonids. Planktonic microalgae, inhabiting the sea, are a large group of photosynthetic organisms that contain both vitamin D₃ and provitamin D₃. Marine phytoplankton is distributed throughout the sea serving as the basis for all marine food webs. Therefore, since it is produced by phytoplankton, vitamin D₃ may also be considered as being ubiquitous in the aquatic environment. Considering the different sources of vitamin D₃ already present in the marine environment, the FEEDAP Panel considers that an increase in concentration of vitamin D₃ when used as a feed additive in compound feed for salmonids up to a maximum of 1.5 mg/kg is not expected to pose a risk for the environment.

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