Spice Up the Coop: EFSA Reaffirms Safety of Botanical Blend for Broiler Feed—With a Warning for Handlers

In a flavorful nod to nature’s pharmacy, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has officially renewed its confidence in a feed additive that reads more like a gourmet spice rack than a livestock supplement. On December 12, 2025, EFSA’s Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) issued a scientific opinion confirming that XTRACT EVOLUTION-B (CODE X60-6930)—a synergistic blend of carvacrol (from oregano), cinnamaldehyde (from cinnamon), and capsicum oleoresin (from chili peppers)—remains safe for use in feed for chickens raised for fattening, under its current authorization conditions.

This decision isn’t about introducing something new—it’s about reaffirming trust in a proven formula. The renewal application, submitted at the request of the European Commission, demonstrated that the product currently on the market fully complies with existing specifications and that no changes have been made to its production process. Because of this continuity, EFSA concluded that no re-evaluation of efficacy is necessary—a regulatory acknowledgment that what worked before still works today.

More importantly, the panel confirmed that the additive poses no safety concerns for the target animals (broiler chickens), consumers of poultry products, or the environment when used as directed. This endorsement reinforces the growing role of plant-derived phytogenic additives in modern poultry farming, where they are valued not only for potential performance benefits—such as improved feed efficiency and gut health—but also as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters in an era of heightened antimicrobial resistance awareness.

However, EFSA didn’t gloss over a critical detail: human safety during handling. The same natural compounds that benefit birds can pose risks to workers. The panel explicitly warned that the additive should be considered a skin, eye, and respiratory tract irritant, as well as a skin sensitizer. Given that exposure by any route—dermal, inhalation, or ocular—is deemed a risk, strict protective measures are essential for anyone involved in its manufacturing, mixing, or distribution.

This duality—benign in the feed trough, but potent in the powder form—highlights a key principle in feed additive regulation: safety is context-dependent. What’s safe for consumption after dilution in feed may demand caution in its concentrated state.

The continued authorization of XTRACT EVOLUTION-B reflects a broader trend in European animal nutrition: the shift toward clean-label, bio-based solutions that align with consumer demands for transparent, sustainable, and antibiotic-free meat production. By harnessing the antimicrobial and antioxidant properties of kitchen staples like oregano, cinnamon, and chili, the industry is turning age-old botanical wisdom into science-backed farm practice.

As EFSA’s latest opinion makes clear, spice isn’t just for flavor—it’s becoming a pillar of precision livestock farming. Just don’t forget the gloves.