The implementation of European regulations 183/2005 of 12/01/05 that establishes feed hygiene requirements, and 2160/2003 of 17/11/03 on control of salmonella in the food chain led to the publication in the French Official Journal of the Order of 23 April 2007 relating to approvals of business operators in the animal feed sector. This order introduced a “Salmonella” approval, which, in the very near future, will become mandatory for all feed operators that deliver to establishments that rear breeding laying hens. Annex IV of this order states that “All compound feedstuffs distributed to Gallus gallus breeding hens shall be treated by a validated process that guarantees a minimum 3-log reduction in microbial contamination in the form of enterobacterial infection”. Feedstuffs produced following this treatment shall contain no more than 1000 enterobacteria per gram.
Tecaliman has conducted a research programme funded by the following organisations – Office de l’élevage, Onidol, ONIC, Dgal, Inaporc, Cidef, CIP, and Tecaliman – aimed at validating that, under certain conditions, these decontamination requirements can be met by the pelleting process.