DSM-Firmenich urges vigilance in vitamin D3 sourcing after China’s new safety standard

NETHERLANDS –  DSM-Firmenich has called on global feed manufacturers and ingredient buyers to be extra cautious when sourcing 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25OHD3) feed ingredients following a major regulatory shift in China that could affect international supply chains.

The China Feed Industry Association (CFIA) has introduced a new national feed group standard that prohibits the sale and use of any 25OHD3 feed additive containing detectable levels of 1α,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol) within China. 

The move aims to strengthen feed safety, traceability, and quality control in the country’s animal nutrition sector, but may have unintended global consequences.

DSM-Firmenich warned that products failing to meet the new Chinese requirements could be redirected to export markets with less stringent controls, potentially introducing safety risks into international feed supply chains.

“China’s new feed standard is a significant step forward for China and global feed safety and quality assurance,” said José María Hernández, Global Special Nutrients ANH, DSM-Firmenich. 

“It highlights the importance of knowing exactly what’s in your vitamin supply and choosing sources you can trust. Now more than ever, buyers everywhere should prioritise reliable, high-quality, and globally registered 25OHD3 sources with proven safety and efficacy.”

Potential impact on global markets

The CFIA’s move effectively tightens domestic controls on feed-grade vitamin D metabolites by setting a “not detectable” threshold for calcitriol in 25OHD3 products. 

While this is expected to raise quality standards in China, it also raises concerns that products not meeting these standards may be diverted to other markets, especially those with limited regulatory oversight.

Feed industry experts have cautioned that if impure 25OHD3 products enter circulation elsewhere, the resulting inconsistencies in feed formulations could affect animal performance, health, and even consumer confidence in feed safety standards.

DSM-Firmenich is therefore urging manufacturers, nutritionists, and integrators to verify supplier compliance with both CFIA and international standards, request analytical certificates confirming undetectable calcitriol levels, and source 25OHD3 only from trusted, globally registered suppliers.

A critical nutrient for animal health

25-hydroxyvitamin D3 is a biologically active form of vitamin D3 commonly used as a feed additive across poultry, swine, and aquaculture sectors to promote bone development, growth, and immunity. 

Unlike standard vitamin D3, which requires conversion in the liver, 25OHD3 is already in a form that animals can use directly, improving its efficiency in feed formulations.

It is typically added in precise amounts to vitamin premixes or coated onto feed pellets in oil to ensure stability and even distribution. 

However, quality remains critical. Impurities such as calcitriol can alter biological activity and present potential risks if used outside of regulated concentrations.

Hernández emphasized that DSM-Firmenich’s Hy-D®, a patented and globally registered 25OHD3 source, “has been used safely in billions of tons of feed worldwide for more than 25 years.”

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