ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2022 31 Soybean meal has long been the topic of controversy due to the impact it has on the environment in terms of deforestation in South America. Typically, not grown in large scale amounts within the EU, it would need to be imported, significantly raising the cost of the finished feed. Different protein levels can be obtained through the technology by which the soybeans are processed. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) classification, it would fall under the category of feed materials, and it would undergo a simple notification. A similar process of notification would be required for the other plant-based protein sources mentioned below. • Other oil meal crops The most common oilseed crops in Europe are sunflower and rapeseed (also known as canola), however, rapeseed contains some antinutritional factors and needs to be treated before being included in animal feeds as a protein source2. • Legumes Commonly used legumes are pea, chickpea, lupin, and lentils. While these raw materials are indeed excellent sources of plant protein for animal feeds, they are used in human nutrition and the production of animal feeds will thus directly compete with these raw materials. Ideally, the aim would be not to reduce the amount of plant-based protein available to the human population. NON-CONVENTIONAL PROTEIN SOURCES Producers of animal protein products are being scrutinized closely for their impact on the environment. Consumers are increasingly becoming aware of the effects that large scale commercial farming have on the environment. The production of plant proteins takes up many hectares of land, but these proteins are then directed towards the feeding of animals to grow more protein for human consumption. Plant proteins are also used in human diets and this adds to the already strained resources of these raw materials. The question that producers of animal proteins often ask is: how can we ensure that the animals we grow get the best protein sources, whilst we take care of the environment as well as meet the demand for more protein by the ever-growing global population? This is of course a valid question. Below are some examples of protein sources that are considered “unconventional” or alternative to the standard, as well as the processes involved in how to get approval for these products to be included in commercial animal feeds. • Processed Animal Products (PAP) Regulation (EC) 1069/20093 and Commission Regulation (EU) 142/20114 are the regulations that are used as a framework to class these specific products. Safety is the main concern when it comes to their potential uses in animal feed, and many have been restricted to use in petfood diets. All these products are monitored with traceability to mitigate the potential risks involved when using them in animal feed. Since 2001, following the BSE scare in the UK of 1994, the EU extended the ban on the use of PAP in animal feed to all food producing animals. The ban to use PAP in ruminant feeds remains in place, so does
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==