The European Food Safety Authority will issue new regulations at the end of September, and the antioxidant ethoxyquinoline may not be used anymore, will the fishmeal industry be transformed as a result?
Author/ Louis Harkell
Compilation / Hu Luyi
On September 30, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) plans to issue new regulations to give a clear statement about whether the EU fishmeal industry can continue to legally add the antioxidant "ethoxyquinone", a chemical product that has been used in the global market for half a century will usher in a turning point in fate.
"I wish the European Commission (EC) would be merciful to my company's men." Jon Tarlebo, general manager of Norsildmel, a Norwegian fishmeal trading company, told UCN that his company has been using ethoxyquinoline for more than three decades, and that fishmeal throughout the warehouse has been mixed with this chemical from front to back.
"Modern analytical instruments can accurately detect 1 ppt concentrations, or even lower. The fishmeal industry is a global issue, not just the EU. If the EU bans the use of ethoxyquinoline, it will inevitably create more complications for fishmeal producers around the world, and everyone must provide market services according to different regulations in each country. He said.
Given the importance of the EU market and respect for its standards, some other countries may also upgrade their own regulations to align them with EU standards. Previously, the European Union stipulated a maximum of 150 mg of ethoxyquinoline per kilogram of animal feed.
Ethoxyquinoline is a synthetic antioxidant that is widely used in fishmeal products. In recent years, some scientific studies have suggested that this substance may pose a health risk, which has attracted the attention of many governments. Although no country has yet banned the use of ethoxyquinoline, the global fishmeal industry has long been paying close attention to the issue.
Given food safety and market concerns, some large food producers and retailers have stopped using ethoxyquinoline as an additive, and many upstream producers have followed suit. But on the other hand, if authorities decide the substance is harmless, it may be premature to remove it from global supply chains, not to mention the high cost of alternatives.
To study the residual concentrations of ethoxyquinoline in farmed fish and their safety, EFSA spent three and a half years, and in another month, EFSA will give an answer sheet to global fishmeal and fish oil producers, including Norsildmel, as well as aquaculture companies, which, whatever the outcome, will have a profound impact on the aquaculture industry.
Extracted from petroleum, ethoxyquinoline is a very inexpensive and effective antioxidant that is not only used for fishmeal preservation, but also to slow down rubber aging, inhibit vitamin oxidation, and even prevent the color of the fruit epidermis from changing due to oxidation. In the fishmeal plate, ethoxyquinoline can be combined with long-chain unsaturated fatty acids (DHA, EPA) to form a protective layer that slows down oxidation and maintains an effective concentration of Omega-3.
Neil Auchterlonie, technical director of the Marine Raw Materials Organization (IFFO), said, "We have tested that ethoxyquinoline is currently one of the most effective antioxidants. It is well dispersed in fishmeal, and once the fishmeal begins to stabilize, the amount of antioxidants used can be reduced. ”
Ethoxyquinoline has fat-soluble characteristics, and if this substance is added to fishmeal, it can also be detected in the finished fish. Citing scientific literature, Eurofish Magazine said that ethoxyquinoline can penetrate the brain through the bloodstream, has been found in both breast milk and human adipose tissue, and believes that the substance may damage human genes.
Last year, Mowi, the world's largest salmon producer, announced a complete abandonment of the use of fishmeal with ethoxyquinoline added to it, drawing the attention of consumers and large retailers.
"The first thing to say is that if there are any safety risks to ethoxyquinoline, we don't want our producers to continue using them, provided they are very sure. After all, safety is the first principle. "But at this stage, it's critical that we look at the scientific evidence that EFSA provides to see if it's reached through a fair, scientific, rigorous research process." ”
"A lot of people are biased against ethoxyquinoline because their opinions are often swayed by 'misinformation' and 'alarmism.'" Auchterlonie said.
Is the era of synthetic antioxidants over?
"Regardless of the EFSA outcome, the fact that large producers (MIL) are no longer using ethoxyquinoline suggests that the era of this antioxidant may really be over." Tarlebo said.
"I think a lot of aquaculture markets are going to change eventually, especially salmon farming. Ethoxyquinoline is gone, you can say it is unfortunate, you can say it is lucky, depending on how you look at it. Tarlebo said.
Also agreeing with Tarlebo is James Frank, president of MSI Ceres, a Peruvian fishmeal company. "The ban on ethoxyquinoline is a foregone conclusion." He also worries that another antioxidant alternative, dibutylhydroxytoluene (BHT), could face the same fate.
"BHT is also a synthetic oxidant, although it is not extracted from petroleum, but it is also synthetic after all." Frank said, "Ultimately, what people need is natural matter, and the world is bound to move in that direction." ”
"The production technology of fishmeal and fish oil is constantly advancing, more fish oil is separated from fishmeal, and less and less fat is in fishmeal. Coupled with improved packaging and storage efficiency, the amount of antioxidants used in fishmeal is now significantly reduced than in previous years. Frank said.
"Currently, the market price of tocopherols, a natural antioxidant alternative, rosemary extract (tocopherols), does not exceed $120/ton (fishmeal), compared to $5/ton of conventional ethoxyquinoline and $20-25/ton of BHT." Frank said.
But given that millions of tonnes of global fishmeal production is produced, the cost of developing alternatives to ethoxyquinoline remains enormous.