Ethoxyquinoline has been completely banned in the European Union, and the detection threshold is very strict

The European Commission has officially added the synthetic antioxidant ethoxyquin to its banned list. In addition to fish meal imported into the EU, it is banned from any agricultural products fed with feed containing it.

In August, the European Commission passed Regulation No. 2022/1375, which refused to reauthorize the use of ethoxyquinoline in all animal farming and food categories, maintaining a years-long ban on this synthetic antioxidant.

Ethoxyquinoline is a cheap and effective antioxidant that is used not only to preserve food, but also to slow the aging of rubber, inhibit the oxidation of vitamins and even prevent the Browning of fruit skin.

In the fishmeal plate, ethoxyquinoline can combine with long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (DHA, EPA) to form a protective layer, slowing down the oxidation rate and maintaining the effective concentration of Omega-3. Ethoxyquinoline has been widely used for many years because of its antioxidant effectiveness and low cost, and the process of fatty acid oxidation of fish meal can generate heat and even lead to spontaneous combustion of fish meal.

Brett Glencross, IFFO's technical director, said exporters would have to carry out strict inspections of ethoxyquinoline-fed fish meal and farmed aquatic products in their factories to avoid detection of the residue by the EU.

"The threshold of markers now used in surveillance studies is very low and can be easily detected. Even if you have another source of antioxidants, be very aware of the risk of potential residues." Glencross said.