Should Yeast-Based Livestock Feed Ingredient Descriptions Be Updated?

Official title: Share your thoughts: Proposed amended livestock feed ingredients – Yeast-based ingredients

Closed Regulations & Permits Agriculture & Food
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency wanted feedback on updating how six yeast-based ingredients are described and classified in livestock feed regulations. Some ingredients were in the wrong category—brewer's yeast was listed as 'non-nutritive' when it's actually approved as a protein source. The changes would fix these errors and standardize how yeast ingredients are named and labelled.

Why This Matters

This is highly technical and mainly affects feed manufacturers and suppliers. If you work in the livestock feed industry, these changes could affect how you label and classify yeast-based products. For most Canadians, this won't change what's in animal feed—just how it's categorized on paper.

What Could Change

Six yeast-based feed ingredients would get updated descriptions in the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table. Brewer's yeast (dried and liquid) and torula yeast would move from 'non-nutritive' to 'protein feeds.' Irradiated yeast would move to 'vitamins from fermentation.' Label requirements would change—some ingredients would need new guarantees for protein or vitamin D2 content.

Key Issues

  • Should brewer's yeast be reclassified from 'non-nutritive' to 'protein feeds'?
  • Should irradiated yeast be reclassified as a vitamin D2 source?
  • Are the proposed labelling requirements appropriate for these ingredients?

How to Participate

  1. This consultation is now closed. It ran from September 18 to October 17, 2025. The CFIA will review comments and publish a 'What We Heard' report if significant concerns were raised.

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 and added to the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table at the next update. A 'What We Heard' report summarizing feedback will be prepared.

Key Documents