(1)

Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 provides for the authorisation of additives for use in animal nutrition and for the grounds and procedures for granting such authorisation. Article 10 of that Regulation provides for the re-evaluation of additives authorised pursuant to Council Directive 70/524/EEC (2).

(2)

Cassia gum was authorised without a time limit in accordance with Directive 70/524/EEC as a feed additive for cats and dogs (3). This additive was subsequently entered in the Register of feed additives as an existing product, in accordance with Article 10(1)(b) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(3)

In accordance with Article 10(2) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 four applications were submitted for the re-evaluation of cassia gum as a feed additive for cats and dogs. The applicants requested this additive to be classified in the additive category ‘technological additives’ and in the functional group ‘gelling agents’. Those applications were accompanied by the particulars and documents required under Article 7(3) of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. Subsequently, three of those applications were withdrawn by the respective applicants for authorisation.

(4)

The European Food Safety Authority (‘the Authority’) concluded in its opinions of 29 October 2014 (4), 25 January 2017 (5) and 27 November 2018 (6) that, only purified (isopropanol extraction) semi-refined cassia gum that meets the specifications of cassia gum as a food additive (7) (< 0,5 mg anthraquinones/kg) does not have an adverse effect on animal health at a maximum content of 13 200 mg/kg of complete feed with 12 % moisture content. It also concluded that the additive is regarded as a skin and respiratory sensitiser and as potential irritant to skin and eyes. Therefore, the Commission considers that appropriate protective measures should be taken to prevent adverse effects on human health, in particular as regards the users of the additive. It further concluded that the mutagenicity of the existing semi-refined cassia gum in the market, as described in the application cannot be excluded. The Authority further concluded that cassia gum has the potential to be effective as gelling agent when used together with carrageenan in feeds with a moisture content higher than 20 %. The Authority does not consider that there is a need for specific requirements of post-market monitoring. It also verified the report on the methods of analysis of the feed additives in feed submitted by the Reference Laboratory set up by Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003.

(5)

The assessment of cassia gum shows that the conditions for authorisation, as provided for in Article 5 of Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003, are satisfied, provided that the specifications as a food additive are met. Accordingly, the use of the additive should be authorised as specified in the Annex to this Regulation.

(6)

Therefore, cassia gum as an existing product which does not comply with the specifications as a food additive, as well as feed containing it, should be withdrawn from the market. For practical reasons however, a limited period should be allowed for the withdrawal from the market of the existing stocks of the additive and feed containing it in order to enable operators to prepare themselves to meet the new requirements resulting from the authorisation.

(7)

The measures provided for in this Regulation are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed,