{"id":155165,"date":"2021-10-22T07:14:46","date_gmt":"2021-10-22T05:14:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ew-nutrition.com\/apo-ester-alternatives\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T17:16:46","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T15:16:46","slug":"apo-ester-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ew-nutrition.com\/us\/apo-ester-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"Reducing apo-esters: What are the alternatives?"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Technical Team<\/b>, EW Nutrition<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

A year\u00a0ago,\u00a0the European Commission announced\u00a0regulation\u00a0(EU) 2020\/1400<\/a>\u00a0– restricting the use of\u00a0ethyl ester of \u03b2-apo-8\u2019-carotenoic acid\u00a0(generally known as\u00a0\u2018apo-ester\u2019).\u00a0Starting on\u00a026 October 2021, this legislation restricts the use of apo-ester in poultry feed\u00a0to\u00a05 mg\/kg for laying hens and\u00a015 mg\/kg for broilers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

As apo-esters is a synthetic pigment \u2013 not naturally occurring in nature \u2013 this measure was taken because the authorities could not guarantee safety upon exposure to the user. Limiting the concentration in feed would reduce this risk to acceptable levels, according to the legislators\u2019 decision. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why\u00a0use\u00a0apo-esters in the first place?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

Apo-ester is\u00a0a synthetic\u00a0yellow\u00a0colorant,\u00a0with good stability in premixtures and complete feed. It also has\u00a0a high deposition rate in the yolk,\u00a0making it an\u00a0effective egg\u00a0yolk\u00a0colorant.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Its ability to be applied\u00a0through\u00a0premix\u00a0facilitates\u00a0the proper\u00a0dispersion\u00a0in the final feed, which is relevant if micro-dosing systems are lacking in the feed mill.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Why\u00a0was the\u00a0legislative change\u00a0necessary?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

The legislative change which limits the use of synthetic apo-ester is based on the\u00a0precautionary\u00a0principle and in line with\u00a0a broader\u00a0market trend:\u00a0away from synthetic (non-natural) components, towards the use of naturally occurring alternatives.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The alternative to apo-ester<\/span><\/h1>\n

Natural yellow pigments, typically based on lutein and zeaxanthin\u00a0produced from\u00a0marigold\u00a0oleoresin, are\u00a0available in the market\u00a0and can be used to reach the egg yolk\u00a0pigmentation\u00a0desired\u00a0by the consumer. In contrast to apo-ester, these natural solutions\u00a0are functional\u00a0antioxidants, further contributing to the egg\u2019s nutritious composition.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Challenges for natural alternatives<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

However, stability in premixtures and complete feed can be a challenge, with inconsistent yolk\u00a0coloration\u00a0as a risk.\u00a0Safety can also be an issue, so it is important to ask for Quality Control measures routinely applied to avoid contamination with undesired substances (e.g.,\u00a0dioxins). To limit the risk of producing eggs with insufficient yolk\u00a0coloration, it is important to select natural pigments with excellent stability and deposition efficiency.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the best natural alternative to apo-ester?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

EW Nutrition\u2019s natural pigment\u00a0Colortek\u00ae Yellow B<\/a>, produced with a proprietary technology, withstands the harsh conditions in premixtures, while the unique saponification process provides unparalleled deposition rates. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Moreover, Colortek\u00ae Yellow B is the most concentrated natural pigment on the market, making it the perfect premix-delivered colorant in the egg industry. If you want to produce all-natural eggs without worrying about the stability of the product or the reliability of your egg coloration, please contact your local EW Nutrition person.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Technical Team, EW Nutrition A year\u00a0ago,\u00a0the European Commission announced\u00a0regulation\u00a0(EU) 2020\/1400\u00a0– restricting the use of\u00a0ethyl ester of \u03b2-apo-8\u2019-carotenoic acid\u00a0(generally known as\u00a0\u2018apo-ester\u2019).\u00a0Starting on\u00a026 October 2021, this legislation restricts the use of apo-ester in poultry feed\u00a0to\u00a05 mg\/kg for laying hens and\u00a015 mg\/kg for broilers.\u00a0\u00a0 As apo-esters is a synthetic pigment \u2013 not naturally occurring in nature \u2013…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":83570,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7798,8737,7981],"tags":[8820,7998],"class_list":["post-155165","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-feed-us","category-pigmentation-us","category-poultry-us","tag-feed-us-2","tag-poultry-us-2"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nReducing apo-esters: What are the alternatives? 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