The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has concluded that the feed additive phenylcapsaicin (aXiphen) is safe for chickens for fattening, consumers, and the environment, and that it effectively reduces Salmonella load in poultry excreta when added to feed at 15 mg/kg. The scientific opinion, adopted on 2 July 2026 and published on 24 July 2026, updates a previous 2023 assessment that had identified data gaps on consumer safety, environmental safety, and efficacy.
The additive, developed by aXichem AB, is already authorised as a novel food. In its 2023 opinion, the FEEDAP Panel could not conclude on consumer safety due to insufficient data on metabolic similarity between chickens and laboratory animals, nor on environmental safety for groundwater and terrestrial/aquatic compartments, nor on efficacy. The applicant subsequently submitted supplementary information, including an in vitro metabolism study and a residue study, and requested a change in functional group from 'physiological condition stabilisers' to 'other zootechnical additives' (Salmonella reduction), which the European Commission accepted on 16 March 2026.
In the new assessment, the Panel found that the additive is safe for chickens up to 15 mg/kg feed, not genotoxic, and that residues do not pose a risk to consumers. The environmental risk was also deemed acceptable. The Panel confirmed efficacy in reducing Salmonella, based on data showing a significant decrease in bacterial load in excreta. However, the Panel noted limitations in the metabolism study, including the use of cryopreserved hepatocytes and limited metabolite detection, but concluded that the dominant pathway (O-glucuronidation) is consistent across species.
The opinion paves the way for the European Commission to authorise the additive under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003. The decision balances animal health benefits (reduced Salmonella) against minor uncertainties in metabolic profiling, with no significant trade-offs identified. Stakeholders most impacted include poultry producers (potential new tool for Salmonella control), consumers (reassured on safety), the applicant aXichem AB (market access), and EU regulatory bodies (informed authorisation process).