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Safety and efficacy of feed additives consisting of ginkgo tinctures obtained from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L. for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl).
Abstract: Following a request from the European Commission, EFSA was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of tinctures obtained from the dried leaves of L. (ginkgo tinctures) when used as sensory additives. The tinctures are water/ethanol solutions with a dry matter content of 5.7% (tincture A) and 3.0% (tincture B). The EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) concluded that the additives under assessment are safe for the target species at the following concentrations in complete feed: (i) ginkgo tincture A at 240 mg/kg for horses and 750 mg/kg for dogs; (ii) ginkgo tincture B at 600 mg/kg for horses and 50 mg/kg for all other animal species. No safety concern would arise for the consumer from the use of ginkgo tinctures up to the maximum proposed use level in feed for the target species. The tinctures should be considered as irritants to skin and eyes, and as dermal and respiratory sensitisers. The use of ginkgo tinctures at the proposed use levels in feed for the target species is not considered to be a risk to the environment. While the available data indicate that Ginkgo preparations have a distinctive flavour profile, there is no evidence that ginkgo tinctures would impart flavour to a food or feed matrix. Therefore, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the efficacy of the additives.
© 2024 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by Wiley‐VCH GmbH on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.
Publication Date: 2024-05-17 PubMed ID: 38764478PubMed Central: PMC11099737DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8798Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
Overview
- This research evaluates the safety and effectiveness of ginkgo leaf tinctures used as sensory additives in animal feed for all species.
- The study examines how safe these tinctures are for animals, consumers, and the environment, and whether they effectively contribute to feed flavoring.
Background and Purpose
- The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), specifically the FEEDAP Panel, was asked by the European Commission to assess ginkgo tinctures derived from Ginkgo biloba leaves.
- These tinctures are intended to be used as sensory additives in animal feed, meaning they aim to affect the taste or smell of the feed to potentially improve feed intake or palatability.
- The tinctures studied are water/ethanol solutions with two variants differing in dry matter content—Tincture A (5.7%) and Tincture B (3.0%).
Safety Assessment for Target Animals
- The FEEDAP Panel evaluated the safety of the tinctures when included in complete animal feed for various species.
- For Tincture A, safe concentrations were identified as:
- 240 mg per kg of feed for horses
- 750 mg per kg of feed for dogs
- For Tincture B, safe concentrations were:
- 600 mg per kg of feed for horses
- 50 mg per kg of feed for all other animal species
- This indicates that horses and dogs tolerate higher levels of Tincture A due to differences in animal physiology and metabolism.
Consumer Safety Considerations
- The use of ginkgo tinctures at the proposed levels in animal feed poses no safety concerns for consumers who may ingest products derived from these animals (e.g., meat, milk, eggs).
- This conclusion suggests that residues or metabolites from these tinctures do not accumulate to harmful levels in animal products consumed by humans.
Safety for Users and the Environment
- The tinctures are identified as irritants to skin and eyes, meaning people handling the additive could experience irritation if protective measures are not applied.
- They are also dermal and respiratory sensitizers, indicating a potential to cause allergic reactions in some individuals.
- Regarding environmental safety, the use of these tinctures at proposed levels in animal feed is not expected to pose ecological risks, suggesting that waste or excreted compounds do not adversely accumulate or harm ecosystems.
Efficacy Evaluation
- While previous knowledge shows that Ginkgo biloba preparations have distinctive flavors, the available data did not demonstrate that the tinctures effectively impart flavor when added to food or feed.
- Because of this lack of evidence, the Panel could not confirm the efficacy of the tinctures as sensory additives—meaning they cannot definitively state the tinctures improve the taste or acceptability of animal feed.
Summary
- The study establishes safe inclusion levels for ginkgo tinctures in animal feeds across species, with no expected risks to consumers or the environment.
- Precautions should be taken by users to avoid irritation or allergic reactions during handling.
- However, further evidence is needed to support claims that these tinctures enhance feed flavor to justify their use as sensory feed additives.
Cite This Article
APA
Bampidis V, Azimonti G, Bastos ML, Christensen H, Durjava M, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, López Puente S, Marcon F, Mayo B, Pechová A, Petkova M, Ramos F, Villa RE, Woutersen R, Brantom P, Chesson A, Schlatter J, Westendorf J, Dirven Y, Manini P, Dusemund B.
(2024).
Safety and efficacy of feed additives consisting of ginkgo tinctures obtained from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L. for use in all animal species (FEFANA asbl).
EFSA J, 22(5), e8798.
https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2024.8798 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
References
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Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- Villa RE, Azimonti G, Bonos E, Christensen H, Durjava M, Dusemund B, Gehring R, Glandorf B, Kouba M, López-Alonso M, Marcon F, Nebbia C, Pechová A, Prieto-Maradona M, Röhe I, Theodoridou K, Bastos ML, Benfenati E, Brantom P, Chesson A, Schlatter J, Westendorf J, Manini P. Efficacy of feed additives obtained from the leaves of Ginkgo biloba L.: Ginkgo tinctures for all animal species and ginkgo extract for horses, dogs, cats, rabbits and guinea pigs (FEFANA asbl).. EFSA J 2025 Oct;23(10):e9682.
- Pagotto GLO, Santos LMOD, Osman N, Lamas CB, Laurindo LF, Pomini KT, Guissoni LM, Lima EP, Goulart RA, Catharin VMCS, Direito R, Tanaka M, Barbalho SM. Ginkgo biloba: A Leaf of Hope in the Fight against Alzheimer's Dementia: Clinical Trial Systematic Review.. Antioxidants (Basel) 2024 May 27;13(6).
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