EU gives OK to non-antibiotic feed additive

(June 12, 2001) Hydro Formates is the first company to receive European Union approval for an alternative to controversial antibiotic feed additives in animal feed.

HEALTHY: The feed additive Formi produces healthier pigs and safer consumer products. (Photo: Terje S. Knudsen)

The feed additive, called Formi, has proven to have a very positive effect on the health and growth of swine, and is an important contribution to increased food safety.

The European Commission is expected to consider a proposal this summer that would ban the use of the four remaining antibiotic growth promoters allowed in the EU. In Norway, Sweden and Denmark, swine producers have already stopped using these products voluntarily.

Formi is the first documented safe alternative to the antibiotic additives. There has been great concern that the use of antibiotics contributes to the development of bacteria that are resistent to antibiotic treatment. 

"Extensive research has shown that the use of Form increases the swine producer's income by over 10 percent," says Egil Greve, head of Hydro Formates. "The product is the only non-antibiotic product that can show such good scientifically documented results. We hope to claim a significant market share globally worth more than 10 billion kroner."

Hydro Formates is a business unit in Hydro Pronova, which is an umbrella organization covering innovative projects and new business outside of Hydro's core business areas.

Beyond the swine producers' economic gains in production, the use of Formi has a number of advantages for animal health, food safety and the environment.

"When a swine producer uses Formi, the pork cuts are improvement in several ways. First, it reduces the risk of disease-producing bacteria in meat, such as salmonella. Secondly, it reduces fat content in the meat. It has a positive effect on the environment in that the pig utilizes protein in the feed better," Greve says.

The EU approval of Formi is based on extensive documentation through more than 100 scientific studies over a six-year period.

A great deal of the development work behind Formi was performed at Hydro Research Center at Porsgrunn, Norway, with researcher Leif Hjørnevik leading the way.

Hydro Formates