According to Reg. 183/2005 and JMD 340668/2008, feed production facilities are required, among other analyzes, to include annual testing of feed mixers to ensure the homogeneity of their products.
Homogeneity: When including an additive/premix into a premix/compound uniform distribution must be achieved, so that the product meets the criteria specified by the manufacturer.
Homogeneity test is performed using a suitable tracer first at the production stage, then the chemical identification stage, both in a specific number of samples of the final mixture producing final results suitable for statistical processing.
Most common compounds used for this purpose are inorganic salts of sodium, potassium or cobalt, amino acids, and other micronutrients.
Each tracer provides advantages and disadvantages depending on separate laboratory methods and different type of feed.
Specific protocol must be kept for every analysis and besides the homogeneity control, transfection between different production batches is controlled.
Transfection : Ministry of Reconstruction of Production, Environment & Energy & Food (former Hellenic Ministry of Rural Development and Food)/ General Directorate Animal Production, presence of additives or certain substances in a complex feed must be avoided under strict legislation frame.
Same frame specifies the way in which the analyzes are concluded.
Once an additive deemed dangerous for a certain category of animals is used, one or more batches of compound feed may be transfected.