The feed industry usually has me confused and this is no exception.

It would seem that registration of amino acids are required before feed can use them.  OK that sounds sensible but in some cases the EU restricts competition by doing this. Take Arginine and Histidine. They are both on the approved list. However it would seem that only those made by Kyowa Hakko by a fermentation process are permitted. Now ,even if you do ferment and use similar bacteria you still have to register your product. So the choice is limited.

In human food systems and pharmaceuticals it seems that there is more choice as the only qualification would be to conform to EP/USP etc. Arginine and Histidine I am sure have been used in food supplements before the applications for feed were made.  I know that these amino acids are used in the food industry and can be used from various suppliers who make by fermentation or extraction from natural products.

So why can they be used in human foods but not in feed.?  The EU may say that they are concerned about levels of aminos coming through the food chain but if humans are already taking them in supplements this would defeat that case.

You can sell these amino acids as a protein hydrolysate but not if you purify to USP levels.

Can someone explain this to me ?