Safety and efficacy of STENOROL® (halofuginone hydrobromide) as a feed additive for chickens for fattening and turkeys

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the coccidiostat STENOROL® containing halofuginone hydrobromide (halofuginone HBr) as active substance. The FEEDAP Panel was not able to conclude on the safety of STENOROL® for chickens and turkeys for fattening at the highest proposed use level. No incompatibilities or interactions with feedingstuffs, carriers, other approved additives or medicinal drugs are expected. Halofuginone HBr does not have antimicrobial activity at the highest dose proposed; it is not expected to exert adverse effects on chicken gut microbiota or select for resistance and cross-resistance with other antimicrobials. The Panel cannot conclude on the genotoxic potential of halofuginone HBr since an appropriate in vivo follow-up to exclude the mutagenic effect of the compound was not available. Therefore, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the safety of halofuginone HBr for the consumer. The additive is toxic by inhalation, dermal and ocular routes and is very irritant to both the eye and the skin. It is considered also a skin sensitiser. Inhalation exposure is considered a risk to persons handling the additive. Since the lack of genotoxic potential of halofuginone HBr has not been adequately demonstrated, it should be considered as an additional potential concern to users handling the additive. Due to limitations in some of the ecotoxicological studies, no conclusions can be drawn on the safety of the additive for the environment. The FEEDAP Panel is not in the position to conclude on the efficacy of STENOROL® in chickens for fattening and in turkeys for fattening.