Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of vitamin E as a feed additive for all animal species

Following a request from European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of vitamin E as a feed additive for all animal species.Vitamin E is a well-established micro-nutrient for all animal species.Vitamin E-based additives are globally used in animal nutrition, and have been for decades, to prevent vitamin E deficiency.The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) examined data from three active substances (all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate, RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate and RRR-αtocopherol) currently authorised as vitamin E. The biopotency of these forms is different: one International Unit (IU) of vitamin E is defined as 1 mg all-rac-α-tocopheryl acetate, as 0.74 mg of RRR-α-tocopheryl acetate and as 0.67 mg of RRR-α-tocopherol.The additives described containing those forms of vitamin E do not present major stability or homogeneity issues.However, sensitivity to light and moisture, as well as to oxygen and heat for RRR-preparations, must be appropriately managed in order to maintain the amount of vitamin E nominally available to farm animals.Vitamin E at the current use levels is safe for all animal species.Information on hypervitaminosis E is not sufficiently consistent to derive a maximum content for vitamin E in feedingstuffs, based on safety for target species.A conservative consumer exposure assessment indicates that the UL (300 mg α-tocopherol equivalents/day) is not exceeded even assuming high background intake and levels in animal feeds far higher than practical use.The FEEDAP Panel concludes that the use of vitamin E at practical use levels is safe for the consumer.