Scientific Opinion on Rovabio® Excel (endo-1,3(4)-beta-glucanase and endo-1,4-beta-xylanase) as a feed additive for chickens and turkeys for fattening, laying hens, piglets (weaned) and pigs for fattening, ducks, guinea fowls, quails, geese, pheasants and pigeons

Rovabio® Excel is an enzyme preparation (solid and liquid forms) of endo-1,3(4)-beta-glucanase and endo-1,4-beta-xylanase, produced by a non-genetically modified strain of Penicillium funiculosum (Talaromyces versatilis sp. nov.). The additive is to be used as a feed additive for chickens and turkeys for fattening, laying hens, piglets (weaned) and pigs for fattening, ducks, guinea fowls, quails, geese, pheasants and pigeons. Tolerance trials performed in chickens and turkeys for fattening, laying hens and piglets showed that the animals tolerated well 200-fold (chickens, turkeys and piglets) or 20-fold (laying hens) the recommended dosage. Therefore, the additive is safe for these target species at the recommended dose. The conclusion can be extended to pigs for fattening and can be extrapolated to ducks, guinea fowls, quails, geese, pheasants and pigeons provided that the same dose applies. The fermentation product used for the preparation of the additive gave negative results for mutagenicity. The results obtained in a sub-chronic oral toxicity study raised no concerns regarding the product. Therefore, the additive gives rise to no concern for consumer safety. No risks to the environment are expected from the use of the product as a feed additive. Based on the results obtained in the efficacy trials provided in chickens and turkeys for fattening, laying hens, piglets (weaned) and pigs for fattening, it is concluded that the additive has the potential to be efficacious at the recommended dose. These conclusions can be extrapolated to ducks, guinea fowls, quails, geese, pheasants and pigeons. The Panel proposes a recommendation to modify the specifications of the additive.