Safety and efficacy of APSA PHYTAFEED® (6-phytase) as a feed additive for laying hens and other laying birds

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Additives and products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of APSA PHYTAFEED® 20,000 GR/L (6-phytase) as a zootechnical feed additive for laying hens and other poultry species for laying. The additive is a preparation of 6-phytase produced by a genetically modified strain of Komagataella phaffii and has been previously assessed by the FEEDAP Panel in the context of three applications for its use in different species/categories. The Panel concluded in those opinions that the production strain is safe, and that the use of the additive as a feed additive would raise no safety concerns for the consumers and the environment. The additive was also considered not to be irritant to skin or eyes or a dermal sensitiser but it should be considered as a respiratory sensitiser. The Panel considered that the new use in laying hens and other poultry species for laying would not modify the previously drawn conclusions with respect to the consumers, users and the environment. A tolerance trial in laying hens and a subchronic oral toxicity study were made available to support the safety of the additive for the target species/categories subject of this new application; from the results obtained, the Panel concluded that the additive is safe for laying hens at the recommended level of use (300 U/kg feed) with a wide margin of safety and therefore the conclusion was extrapolated to other laying birds. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that the additive has the potential to be efficacious in laying hens at the level of 300 U/kg feed and this conclusion was extrapolated to other laying birds.