REGULATORY FOCUS: FEED CLASSIFICATION

🔍 Sarasvet Regulatory Focus : February 2026 | Part 3

Complete feed, complementary feed, dietetic feed… do we all speak the same regulatory language? 🤔 

In animal nutrition, categories are strictly defined in EU law. Confusing them can quickly lead to non-compliant claims or product reclassification. Here’s a clear and practical overview (EU context) 👇 

🍽️ Complete feed (animals) 

• Covers all daily nutritional needs
• Can be fed as the sole ration

 ➕ Complementary feed (animals) 

• Must be used in combination with other feed to ensure the daily ration
• Defined under Regulation (EC) No 767/2009

 🩺 Dietetic feed / PARNUT (Feed intended for PARticular NUTritional purposes) 

• Can be complete or complementary
• Targets a specific nutritional objective (e.g. renal support, digestion)
• Strictly governed by Regulation (EU) 2020/354

 🧪 Feed additives (animals) 

• Substances (vitamins, enzymes, etc.) added for a specific function
• Authorised under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003

 🌾 Feed materials (animals) 

• Single ingredients used to formulate feeds
• Referenced in the EU Catalogue of feed materials

 ⚠️ Feed vs. Medicine: the grey zone  

• A feed (even a dietetic one) is never medicinal. If a product claims to prevent, treat, or cure a disease, it falls under Veterinary Medicine (Regulation (EU) 2019/6). This is the biggest risk for companies

 💊 Medicated Feed 

• Mixture of veterinary medicine and feed, subject to veterinary prescription
• Medicated Premix: an authorised veterinary medicine designed to be incorporated into feed
• Regulation (EU) 2019/4

 🚫 Food supplements (humans) 

• A human-only regulatory category
• ❌ Does not exist in animal feed legislation. In the animal world, we speak of additives or complementary feeds.

 🎯 Take-home message

In animal health, correct classification drives your claims, evidence requirements and market access.