{"topic_id":"EFSA_PARNUTS_Guidance_Development_2025_2026","category":"efsa","context":"---\ntopic_id: EFSA_PARNUTS_Guidance_Development_2025_2026\ncategory: efsa\ntitle: \"EFSA PARNUTS Guidance Development Timeline — Reg (EU) 2020/354 List of Intended Uses + EFSA FEEDAP Panel New Guidance under Development (Nov 2025 Open Plenary → Mar 13 2026 Info Session)\"\nlang: en\nsource: \"EFSA Info Session event page (efsa.europa.eu/en/events/info-session-feed-particular-nutritional-purposes, Tavily extract 2026-07-21) + Food Standards Scotland PARNUTS guidance page (foodstandards.gov.scot, 2026-07-21)\"\ndate_parsed: 2026-07-21\ntokens_estimated: 1150\nverification:\n  method: regex_loose_match_with_reference\n  claims: 10\n  passed: 10\n  date: 2026-07-21\n---\n\n# EFSA PARNUTS Guidance Development Timeline — Reg (EU) 2020/354 List of Intended Uses + EFSA FEEDAP Panel New Guidance under Development\n\nEFSA's FEEDAP Panel is developing a **new guidance document** for the preparation and submission of applications related to feed intended for particular nutritional purposes (PARNUTS), in line with **Regulation (EC) No 767/2009**. This is a significant regulatory development because PARNUTS is the EU category for **dietetic / prescription pet food** — feedingstuffs designed for animals whose bodily functions are, or could be, temporarily or irreversibly impaired.\n\n## Timeline of PARNUTS Regulatory Development\n\n| Date | Event | Significance |\n|---|---|---|\n| **Reg (EC) 767/2009** | EU pet food labelling and marketing regulation (in force) | Foundational regulation for PARNUTS category |\n| **Reg (EU) 2020/354** | Established a **list of intended uses** of feed intended for particular nutritional purposes | Authoritative enumeration of PARNUTS purposes |\n| **2025-11-19/20** | EFSA FEEDAP Panel **185th Plenary Open Session** | First public presentation of PARNUTS guidance under development |\n| **2026-03-13 14:00-16:00 CET** | EFSA **Info Session on Feed for Particular Nutritional Purposes** (online) | Stakeholder engagement on guidance scope |\n| **TBD** | Public consultation on draft PARNUTS guidance | Industry and member state input opportunity |\n\n## What is PARNUTS?\n\n**PARNUTS** = **PARticular NUTritional Substances** = \"feed for particular nutritional purposes\" = **dietetic feed** in EU regulatory terminology.\n\nPer the Food Standards Scotland (FSS) PARNUTS authorisation guidance (which applies the same Reg (EU) 2020/354 framework in Great Britain):\n\n> \"PARNUTs are feedstuffs for particular nutritional purposes, also known as **dietetic feed**, for animals' health. PARNUTs meet the specific nutritional needs of animals whose bodily functions are, or could be, temporarily or irreversibly impaired.\"\n\n> \"PARNUTs can satisfy a specific nutritional purpose by:\n> - particular composition\n> - particular method of production\"\n\n> \"Feed intended for particular nutritional purposes may only be marketed in Great Britain (GB) if:\n> - its intended use is included in the list of intended uses, and\n> - it meets the essential nutritional characteristics for the respective particular nutritional purpose included in that list\"\n\n**Equivalent US category**: Veterinary diet / Prescription pet food (regulated by FDA CVM under 21 CFR, with AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy statements for specific life stages / medical conditions).\n\n## The New EFSA PARNUTS Guidance — Objectives (per EFSA Info Session)\n\nThe 2026-03-13 EFSA Info Session identified **three core objectives** for the new guidance:\n\n1. **Harmonise the assessment process at EU level** — ensuring consistency in interpretation and criteria applied across evaluations\n2. **Clarify the requirements for applicants** — outlining the key elements expected in a dossier, including:\n   - Characterisation of the feed\n   - Description of the **particular nutritional purpose**\n   - **Conditions of use**\n   - **Safety** (target species + user/consumer/environment)\n   - **Efficacy** (substantiation of the claimed nutritional purpose)\n3. **Support applicants with a coherent framework** — reinforcing the need for **robust scientific evidence** substantiating the claimed nutritional purpose\n\n## Three Primary Areas Where the New Guidance Will Provide Clarity\n\n### Area 1: Characterisation & Description\n\n- Identity and characterisation of the active substance(s) / nutritional component(s)\n- Description of the particular nutritional purpose (e.g., \"support of renal function in case of chronic renal insufficiency\")\n- Quantitative composition (active + other ingredients)\n\n### Area 2: Conditions of Use\n\n- Target species (dogs / cats / both)\n- Target animal categories (age, physiological state, specific condition)\n- Dosage / feeding rate\n- Duration of use (continuous vs intermittent)\n- **Critical distinction**: PARNUTS vs complementary feed vs complete feed\n\n### Area 3: Safety + Efficacy\n\n- Target species safety (per companion guidance under revision, see `EFSA_FEEDAP_185th_Plenary_2025_11`)\n- User/consumer safety (handling, inhalation, dermal contact)\n- Environmental safety (especially for fish farming or unique species)\n- **Efficacy substantiation**: the most challenging area — must demonstrate the claimed nutritional purpose is actually achieved under the proposed conditions of use\n\n## EFSA Info Session (2026-03-13) — Event Details\n\n| Field | Content |\n|---|---|\n| **Date / Time** | 13 March 2026, 14:00 - 16:00 (CET) |\n| **Format** | Online (Microsoft Teams) |\n| **Registration deadline** | 01 March 2026, 23:59 CET |\n| **Language** | English only (no translation provided) |\n| **Registration status** | Closed (event concluded) |\n| **Organiser contact** | webinars [at] efsa.europa.eu |\n| **Recording availability** | TBD (per EFSA's standard practice, may be made available on EFSA's website after the event) |\n\n**Stakeholders invited to participate**: \"stakeholders with expertise in the area of Feed but in particular in the field of Feed for Particular Nutritional Purposes.\" EFSA's presentation built on the one shared in the Open Plenary meeting in November 2025 (185th Plenary, see companion topic `EFSA_FEEDAP_185th_Plenary_2025_11`).\n\n## Why PARNUTS Guidance Matters for Pet Food\n\nPARNUTS is the EU regulatory pathway for **veterinary diet / prescription pet food** — products marketed for specific medical or physiological conditions (e.g., renal insufficiency, dermatological conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, cardiac conditions, obesity, joint support). This is the EU equivalent of:\n\n| EU (PARNUTS) | US (FDA CVM) | CN |\n|---|---|---|\n| Reg (EC) 767/2009 + Reg (EU) 2020/354 + new EFSA guidance | 21 CFR + AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy statements | 处方粮 (under development — see companion topic `cn_feed_regulation_2011/` for general framework) |\n\nMajor pet food companies actively marketing PARNUTS products in EU include Hill's Pet Nutrition, Royal Canin (Mars), Purina (Nestlé), and Specific (Dechra). All these products must comply with the list of intended uses in Reg (EU) 2020/354 + the conditions of use and labelling requirements in Reg (EC) 767/2009.\n\n## Relationship to GB (Post-Brexit)\n\nIn **Great Britain** (England, Scotland, Wales — not Northern Ireland which follows EU law under Windsor Framework), the same Reg (EU) 2020/354 framework applies via retained EU law. Pet food companies marketing PARNUTS products in GB must:\n\n1. Apply to update the list of intended uses in GB (if proposing a new PARNUTS category or modifying an existing one)\n2. Demonstrate via dossier:\n   - The specific composition fulfills the particular intended nutritional purpose\n   - **No adverse effects** on animal health, human health, the environment, or animal welfare\n3. Submit through the **regulated products application portal** (no fee for GB applications)\n\nNorthern Ireland follows EU law (including any updates to PARNUTS guidance) under the Windsor Framework.\n\n## Source\n\n`pdf-raw/efsa-plenary/` (for 185th Plenary, see companion topic `EFSA_FEEDAP_185th_Plenary_2025_11`). Cross-reference: Food Standards Scotland PARNUTS authorisation guidance page (`foodstandards.gov.scot/business-guidance/running-a-food-business/regulation-and-legislation/regulated-products-and-processes/feed-for-particular-nutritional-uses-parnuts-authorisation-guidance`); EFSA Info Session event page (`efsa.europa.eu/en/events/info-session-feed-particular-nutritional-purposes`).\n\nFor the underlying pet food labelling regulation Reg (EC) 767/2009, see companion topic `eu-reg-767-2009/01_article_19_pet_food_labelling`. For the FEEDAP Panel Plenary meeting where this guidance was first presented, see companion topic `EFSA_FEEDAP_185th_Plenary_2025_11`.","sources":[],"tokens_estimated":1150,"generated_at":null,"tip":"Use /api/v1/topics to discover more topics. /api/v1/nutrient for precise single-point queries. /api/v1/cross_compare for 2-3 standard comparisons."}