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In food and pet food formulation, the regulatory status of hydrocolloids requires precise attention. While native guar gum remains fully marketable under historical EU approvals - supported by the latest 2026 EFSA safety evaluations for dogs and cats - the same does not apply to modified versions.

Some industry arguments suggest that vague historical approval texts from the 1970s implicitly cover all derivatives. However, EU feed authorities strictly reject this interpretation based on the "principle of substance identity". Moreover, the new EFSA safety evaluation clearly specifies Guar gum.

Once guar gum undergoes targeted enzymatic degradation, its physicochemical structure changes. Therefore, it has lost its typical properties and the name "Guar gum" is misused and misleading.

Legally, enzymatically modified guar is classified as a non-approved, novel feed additive in the EU. To ensure absolute compliance and avoid marketability issues, manufacturers should strictly use unmodified, native guar gum in their formulations only.

Published on 29 July 2026, the EFSA FEEDAP Panel’s opinion concluded that 13,400 mg/kg for dogs and 32,100 mg/kg for cats were safe in complete feed containing 88% dry matter.

Thus, Guar Gum will likely be re-authorized with a maximum residue limit and needs to be labelled on all wet pet food for dogs and cats in future.

A scientific opinion is not itself a new authorisation; however, EU comission decision depends on the EFSA opinion. We will follow the further process.

In its opinion published on 24 July 2026, the EFSA FEEDAP Panel considered locust bean gum (LBG) safe at 20,000 mg/kg complete feed for cats and 1,320 mg/kg complete feed for dogs.

Thus, LBG will likely be re-authorized with a maximum residue limit and needs to be labelled on all wet pet food for dogs and cats in future.

The background to the severe restrictions for dogs is that the dosage of 25,000 mg/kg administered in the study resulted in weight loss and reduced feed intake. Furthermore, key blood parameters—such as hemoglobin (the red blood cell pigment) and serum proteins—declined. Based on these observed adverse health effects, the experts deemed the high dose unsafe for dogs and set the limit value very low.

Unless interventions, future formulations for dogs would be subject to very strict limitations regarding LBG.

A scientific opinion is not itself a new authorisation; however, EU comission decision depends on the EFSA opinion. We will follow the further process.