Safety and efficacy of Levucell SC20/Levucell SC10ME, a preparation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, as feed additive for lambs for fattening

Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of Levucell SC20/Levucell SC10ME, a preparation consisting of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for lambs for fattening. This additive is already authorised without a time limit for use in dairy cows and cattle for fattening and has been granted a ten-year authorisation for use in dairy goats and dairy ewes. The Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) considers that the safety of this organism for the consumer, the user and the environment has already been established and would not be changed by the proposed extension of use. Moreover, Saccharomyces cerevisiae is considered by EFSA to have QPS status and therefore no assessment of safety for the target species, the consumer and the wider environment is required. Consequently, in the present assessment the FEEDAP Panel has considered only the efficacy of the additive Levucell SC20/Levucell SC10ME for the target species. Five trials were provided to demonstrate efficacy of Levucell in lambs for fattening. Evidence that the additive is able to produce a beneficial effect on final weight and average daily gain was shown in three of the five studies provided. However, only one of those trials was performed using the minimum recommended dose for the entire experimental period; consequently, the FEEDAP Panel concludes on the efficacy of Levucell SC10ME at the maximum recommended dose (7.3 x 109 CFU/kg feedingstuffs). The FEEDAP Panel extends the above conclusions to both forms of Levucell SC.