Our National Reference Laboratory for Additives for Use in Animal Nutrition is located in our Food Security Business Area.

Feed additives are products used in animal feeding to have an effect on the feed, the animals and the food products obtained from the animals fed with feed additives, as well as on the environment. Feed additives are used, for example, to improve the taste of the feed, to meet the needs of certain nutrients, or to enhance the performance of animals in good health. They are used in feeds for food-producing animals and in pet foods.

Feed additives contain:

• technological additives, e.g. preservatives, antioxidants, emulsifiers, acidity regulators, silage additives;
• sensory additives, e.g. flavorings, colorings;
• nutritional additives, e.g. vitamins, amino acids, trace elements;
• zootechnical additives, e.g. digestibility enhancers;
• coccidiostats and histomonostats.

Feed additives are authorized by the European Commission in a Community procedure in accordance with Regulation (EC) No. 1831/2003 and may not be placed on the market or fed without such authorization. Feed additives must not have a harmful effect on animal health, human health or the environment and must not be detrimental to the consumer, which is why maximum levels are specified for some additives in the authorization regulations. The European Commission publishes a Community Register provided for under the Feed Additives Regulation on its homepage.

The National Reference Laboratory for Additives for Use in Animal Nutrition is in charge of the Austrian agendas as well as those for Bulgaria and Northern Ireland.

according to VO (EU) No. 2017/625:

• Cooperation with the EU reference laboratory in Geel (Belgium).
• Mandatory participation in EU-RL proficiency testing schemes.
• Support of the national competent authorities and ensuring a smooth flow of information
• Coordination of the activities of the competent official laboratories
• Performance & organization of interlaboratory comparisons and comparative tests
• Conducting & organizing workshops for the competent official laboratories
• Provision of analytical services and expertise