
Article 1 
The substance specified in the Annex, belonging to the additive category ‘sensory additives’ and to the functional group ‘colourants’ is authorised as additive in animal nutrition subject to the conditions laid down in that Annex.
Article 2 

1. The substance specified in the Annex and premixtures containing that substance, which are produced and labelled before 23 March 2016 in accordance with the rules applicable before 23 September 2015 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted.
2. Compound feed and feed materials containing the substance specified in the Annex which are produced and labelled before 23 September 2016 in accordance with the rules applicable before 23 September 2015 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted if they are intended for food-producing animals.
3. Compound feed and feed materials containing the substance specified in the Annex which are produced and labelled before 23 September 2017 in accordance with the rules applicable before 23 September 2015 may continue to be placed on the market and used until the existing stocks are exhausted if they are intended for non-food-producing animals.
Article 3 
This Regulation shall enter into force on the twentieth day following that of its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable in all Member States.Done at Brussels, 2 September 2015.
For the Commission
The President
Jean-Claude JUNCKER
ANNEX

Identification number of the additive Name of the holder of authorisation Additive Composition, chemical formula, description, analytical method Species or category of animal Maximum age Minimum content Maximum content Other provisions Maximum residue levels End of period of authorisation
mg of active substance/kg of complete feedingstuff with a moisture content of 12 %
Category of sensory additives. Functional group: Colourants
(ii)substances which, when fed to animals, add colours to food of animal origin
2a161g — Canthaxanthin 
Canthaxanthin.

Triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) ≤ 100 mg/kg.

Dichloromethane ≤ 600 mg/kg


— Canthaxanthin
— C40H52O2
— CAS number: 514-78-3
— Canthaxanthin, solid form, produced by chemical synthesis.
— Purity:
 Assay: min. 96 %
 Carotenoids other than canthaxanthin: not more than 5 % of total colouring matters.


1.. For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the feed additive: spectrophotometry at 426 nm.
2.. For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the premixtures and feedingstuffs: Normal Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to visible detection (NP-HPLC-VIS, 466 nm)
 Chickens for fattening and minor poultry species for fattening. — — 25 
1. Canthaxanthin may be placed on the market and used as an additive consisting of a preparation

2. The mixture of canthaxanthin with other carotenoids and xanthophylls shall not exceed 80 mg/kg of complete feed.

3. For safety: breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves should be worn during handling.
 Poultry 15 mg canthaxanthin/kg liver (wet tissue) and 2,5 mg canthaxanthin/kg skin/fat (wet tissue)Laying poultry 30 mg canthaxanthin/kg egg yolk (wet tissue) 23.9.2025
Laying poultry and poultry reared for laying.   8

Identification number of the additive Name of the holder of authorisation Additive Composition, chemical formula, description, analytical method Species or category of animal Maximum age Minimum content Maximum content Other provisions Maximum residue levels End of period of authorisation
mg of active substance/kg of complete feedingstuff with a moisture content of 12 %
Category of sensory additives. Functional group: Colourants
(iii)substances which favourably affect the colour of ornamental fish or birds
2a161g — Canthaxanthin 
Canthaxanthin.

Triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) ≤ 100 mg/kg

Dichloromethane ≤ 600 mg/kg


— Canthaxanthin
— C40H52O2
— CAS number: 514-78-3
— Canthaxanthin, solid form, produced by chemical synthesis.
— Purity:
 Assay: min. 96 %
 Carotenoids other than canthaxanthin: not more than 5 % of total colouring matters.

For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the feed additive: spectrophotometry at 426 nm.

For the quantification of canthaxanthin in the premixtures and feedingstuffs: Normal Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled to visible detection (NP-HPLC-VIS, 466 nm).
 Ornamental fish and ornamental birds except ornamental breeder hens. — — 100 
1. Canthaxanthin may be placed on the market and used as an additive consisting of a preparation.

2. The mixture of canthaxanthin with other carotenoids and xanthopylls shall not exceed 100 mg/kg of complete feed.

3. For safety: breathing protection, safety glasses and gloves should be worn during handling.
  23.9.2025
Ornamental breeder hens — — 8
