The Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notification indicates the products in question significantly exceed the maximum permissible level of dioxin in coated calcium chloride allowed by law in products of Belgian origin.
The notification from the Netherlands was initiated through a company reporting the outcome of an own-check to the competent authority.
Kemin said it has been in close contact with the Federal Agency for the Safety of the Food Chain, based in Brussels, immediately after the RASFF notification was released, and that it has received confirmation that its product, NutriCAB, is not within the scope of the RASFF alert.
The RASFF allows national food and feed control authorities in the EEA to share information about measures taken in response to serious risks detected in relation to food or feed, in order to help countries act more rapidly and in a coordinated manner in response to health threats caused by food or feed.
Kemin said that, as part of its strict quality assurance, it applies a raw material risk assessment program to exclude risks of finding undesirable substances in its final products.
"Kemin Cavriago Srl, manufacturer of NutriCAB, is registered as a feed business establishment in accordance with the Italian and European legislation. The establishment is subject to official control by the competent authorities," it added.
The Italian authorities control the absence of prohibited and undesirable substances such as dioxins, PCB's and heavy metals in feedstuffs including feed materials, compound feedstuffs, additives and premixes, according to Italian and European legislation, continued Kemin.
“In addition, Kemin Cavriago Srl has an internal monitoring program in accordance with the requirements of its GMP+ certification. Based on the results of these controls, NutriCAB can be certified as compliant for animal feeding with regard to residue contents of contaminants such as dioxin, PCB and heavy metals and complies with Italian and European legislation on undesirable substances and products in animal nutrition.”
What is coated calcium chloride used for?
The company said the science behind the use of NutriCAB is that the feeding of negatively charged anions i.e. chlorides will make the blood of the cow slightly acidic. The response of the cow will be to mobilize more calcium from bones in an attempt to buffer the acid in her bloodstream and therefore all of the mechanisms required for maximal calcium supply will be active at the time of calving. In this way, it said the product supports the reduction of incidences of hypocalcemia and milk fever which occur due to calcium deficiency.