At the request of the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA) was asked in 2022to issue a scientific opinion on the efficacy of Limosilactobacillus reuteri(formerly Lactobacillus reuteri) DSM 32203 NBF LANES as a zootechnical additive for dogs.
The additive is a preparation containing viable cells of L. reuteri DSM 32203 and is intended for use in complete dog feeds at a minimum level of 6×109 colony forming units (CFU) per animal and day. In an earlier opinion a few years earlier, the FEEDAP expert group (EFSA Scientific Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed.) failed to conclude on the effectiveness of L. reuteri DSM 32203 for dogs, Nbf Lanes then provided additional information to support the efficacy of the additive for dogs.
During discussions with member states at a meeting of the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (Animal Nutrition Section), it was suggested that the possibility of demonstrating the additive’s efficacy should be checked.
The Commission gave the applicant the opportunity to submit additional information and data to complete the assessment and allow for a review of the EFSA opinion. The new data were received on April 13, 2021, and the applicant was asked to submit them to EFSA as well.
L. reuteri had never previously been authorized as a feed additive in the European Union
A total of three studies were presented on healthy adult dogs of both sexes and different body weights and breeds (French Bulldog, Chihuahua, and Golden Retriever) fed three different commercial dry extruded dog foods once a day according to their energy requirements.
At the beginning of the study, dogs were randomly assigned to the two dietary treatments: control and L. reuteri DSM 32203 at 1×1010 CFU/kg of feed. Body weight and body condition score (BCS) were measured at days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 35. On the same days, stool samples were collected and evaluated for moisture content and consistency.
Conclusions
The additive consisting of L. reuteri DSM 32203 NBF Lanes has the potential to improve stool consistency by reducing its moisture content in dogs receiving the additive to 1×1010 CFU/kg of feed.
Reference
EFSA FEEDAP Panel (EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed), Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Dusemund B, Fasmon Durjava M, Kouba M, Lopez-Alonso M, L opez Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechov a A, Petkova M, Ramos F, Sanz Y, Villa RE, Woutersen R, Martelli G, Anguita M, Brozzi R, Galobart J, Ortuno J and Revez J, 2022. ~ Scientific Opinion on the assessment of the efficacy of a feed additive consisting of Limosilactobacillus reuteri (formerly Lactobacillus reuteri) DSM 32203 for dogs (NBF LANES). EFSA Journal 2022;20(7):7436, 7 pp. https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7436
