Should Chemical Names for Livestock Feed Amino Acids Be Updated?

Official title: Share your thoughts: Proposed modified livestock feed ingredient –L-lysine, L-lysine monohydrochloride and L-lysine solution

Closed Regulations & Permits Agriculture & Food
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency updated the official chemical names for three amino acid feed ingredients: L-lysine, L-lysine monohydrochloride, and L-lysine solution. The old name (alpha epsilon-diaminocaproic acid) was outdated. The new name ((2S)-2,6-diaminohexanoic acid) reflects current scientific conventions. Nothing about the ingredients themselves changed—just the paperwork.

Why This Matters

This one's pretty technical. Unless you manufacture livestock feed or import feed ingredients, it won't affect your daily life. The amino acid L-lysine helps animals grow—it's already in feed. This just updates the official chemical name on labels.

What Could Change

Feed ingredient labels will show the updated chemical name. Manufacturers may need to update their labelling. L-lysine monohydrochloride now requires an additional label guarantee to match new fermentation-based products.

Key Issues

  • Should the chemical name be updated from alpha epsilon-diaminocaproic acid to (2S)-2,6-diaminohexanoic acid?
  • Should L-lysine monohydrochloride require an additional label guarantee for L-lysine content?

How to Participate

  1. The consultation ran from July 9 to August 8, 2025. Feedback could be submitted by email to cfia.afp-paa.acia@inspection.gc.ca.

What Happened

The consultation has closed. CFIA will review all comments received. If no significant scientifically valid concerns are raised, the amended descriptions will be finalized. If significant concerns are raised, additional evaluation will occur and a 'what we heard' report will be published.

Key Documents