(1)

Directive 2002/32/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) sets maximum level for certain undesirable substances, including rye ergot (Claviceps purpurea) in feed.

(2)

Commission Recommendation 2012/154/EU (2) recommended the monitoring on the presence of ergot alkaloids in cereals and cereal products intended for animal feeding, in pasture/forage grasses for animal feeding and in compound feed.

(3)

On 28 June 2012, the European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) adopted an opinion on ergot alkaloids in food and feed (3). The Authority based its risk assessment on the main Claviceps purpurea ergot alkaloids, namely ergometrine, ergotamine, ergosine, ergocristine, ergocryptine, ergocornine, as well as the corresponding –inine epimers. As Claviceps africana and Claviceps fusiformis may be relevant for imported feed into the Union, the occurrence of their predominant ergot alkaloids, in particular dihydroergosine and agroclavine respectively, should be monitored. Ergovaline is one of the ergot alkaloids usually found in endophyte-infected species of grass such as tall fescue or perennial ryegrass.

(4)

On 6 July 2017, the Authority published a scientific report on human and animal dietary exposure to ergot alkaloids (4). In the report it is recommended that the collection of analytical data on ergot alkaloids in relevant feed commodities should continue. Furthermore, simultaneous collection of data on the presence of ergot sclerotia and on the ergot alkaloid content in different feed commodities should continue, in order to help to better understand the relationship between these two variables. For the monitoring, available analytical methods with sufficient sensitivity should be used.

(5)

On 30 November 2023, the Authority adopted an opinion on the risk for animal health related to the presence of ergot alkaloids in feed (5). The Authority considered that the presence of ergot alkaloids in feed raises a health concern in bovines and in pigs (piglets, pigs for fattening and sows). The Authority highlighted that there is a need for more occurrence data on ergot alkaloids, in particular in forage and sorghum and on ergovaline/–inine in forage. The occurrence data submitted to the Authority should contain adequate information on the feed samples analysed, including the moisture content, the target animals and the type of compound feed (complete/complementary) and sensitive methods for the analysis should be used.

(6)

It is therefore appropriate to recommend monitoring the presence of ergot alkaloids in feed across the Union,