Abstract
Lactococcus lactis is a technological additive intended to improve the ensiling process at a proposed dose of 1 × 108 CFU/kg fresh material. The bacterial species L. lactis is considered by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to be suitable for the Qualified Presumption of Safety approach. Therefore, the strain does not require any specific demonstration of safety other than confirming the absence of any determinants of resistance to antibiotics of human and veterinary clinical significance and the safety for the user. As the identity of the strain has been established and no antibiotic resistance detected, the use of the strain in the production of silage is considered safe for livestock species, consumers of products from animals fed the treated silage and for the environment. Given the proteinaceous nature of the active agent and in the absence of evidence to the contrary, the additive should be considered to have the potential to be a skin and respiratory sensitiser. Four laboratory‐scale silo experiments are described, each lasting at least 90 days, performed using whole crop maize, red clover/ryegrass, alfalfa and galega of different water‐soluble carbohydrate content and representing material easy to ensile, moderately difficult to ensile and difficult to ensile. In each case, replicate silos containing treated forage were compared to identical silos containing the same untreated forage. The additive consistently showed the potential to improve the production of silage by a reduction of pH and increased preservation of dry matter.
Keywords: technological additive, silage additive, Lactococcus lactis, QPS, safety, efficacy
EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) ; Scientific Opinion on the safety and efficacy of Lactococcus lactis (NCIMB 30117) as a silage additive for all animal species. EFSA Journal 2011;9(12):2448. [11 pp.]. doi: 10.2903/j.efsa.2011.2448.
Panel members: Gabriele Aquilina, Georges Bories, Andrew Chesson, Pier Sandro Cocconcelli, Joop de Knecht, Noël Albert Dierick, Mikolaj Antoni Gralak, Jürgen Gropp, Ingrid Halle, Christer Hogstrand, Reinhard Kroker, Lubomir Leng, Secundino Lopez Puente, Anne‐Katrine Lundebye Haldorsen, Alberto Mantovani, Giovanna Martelli, Miklós Mézes, Derek Renshaw, Maria Saarela, Kristen Sejrsen and Johannes Westendorf.
Correspondence: feedap@efsa.europa.eu
Acknowledgement: The Panel wishes to thank the members of the Working Group on Silage for the preparatory work on this scientific opinion.
Adoption date: 16 November 2011
Published date: 6 December 2011
Question number: EFSA‐Q‐2011‐00373
On request from: European Commission
References
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