Open AccessConsequences for the consumer of the use of vitamin A in animal nutrition
Author(s) -
Christer Högstrand
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
efsa journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.076
H-Index - 97
ISSN - 1831-4732
DOI - 10.2903/j.efsa.2009.873
Subject(s) - food science , vitamin , nutrition facts label , medicine , environmental health , biology , endocrinology
The fat soluble vitamin A is required in humans and animals. It is essential for vision, growth differentiation and proliferation of a wide range of epithelial tissues, bone growth, reproduction and embryonic development. Vitamin A is present in the diet as preformed vitamin A (retinol and its esters) and can also be derived in humans and most animal species from dietary carotenoids, mainly ß-carotene. Vitamin A accumulates in the body, particularly in liver, and is toxic at high doses in most species studied. The use of vitamin A as a feed additive is currently authorised under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 as nutritional additive with maximum contents for a number of animal categories and types of feedingstuffs.