Safety and efficacy of HOSTAZYM X (endo-1,4-β-xylanase) as a feed additive for chickens reared for laying and minor poultry species reared for laying.

The additive HOSTAZYM X contains endo-1,4-β-xylanase and it is available in solid and liquid forms. This additive is authorised for use in piglets and pigs for fattening, chickens and turkeys for fattening, laying hens, minor poultry species for fattening and laying. The applicant has requested to extend the use of the additive to chickens reared for laying and minor poultry species reared for laying at a dose range of 1,500-3,000 EPU/kg feed. Safety aspects regarding the use of this additive in feed including the safety for the consumers, for the users and for the environment were previously assessed. The FEEDAP Panel concluded that there are no concerns for the consumer safety and no risks for the environment are expected, the additive should be considered a potential skin and eye irritant, and a potential skin and respiratory sensitiser. The FEEDAP Panel is not aware of any new information that would lead it to reconsider the conclusions drawn previously. The FEEDAP Panel had previously evaluated a tolerance trial carried out with chickens for fattening where it was considered that the animals tolerated well the dose of 3,000 EPU/kg feed. In that assessment, the FEEDAP Panel also evaluated the efficacy of the product in chickens for fattening and concluded that the additive has the potential to be efficacious in chickens for fattening at the dose of 1,500 EPU/kg feed. The tolerance and efficacy data in chickens for fattening evaluated previously was considered relevant for the use in the new target category/species proposed by the applicant. Consequently, the conclusions on the safety and efficacy drawn for chickens for fattening were extended to chickens reared for laying and extrapolated to minor poultry species reared for laying.