Safety and efficacy of Probiotic Lactina(®) (Enterococcus faecium NBIMCC 8270, Lactobacillus acidophilus NBIMCC 8242, Lactobacillus helveticus NBIMCC 8269, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. lactis NBIMCC 8250, Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus NBIMCC 8244 and Streptococcus thermophilus NBIMCC 8253) as a feed additive for chickens for fattening and suckling and weaned rabbits

Following a request from the European Commission, the European Food Safety Authority Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) was asked to deliver a scientific opinion on the safety and efficacy of Probiotic Lactina(®) for chickens for fattening and rabbits. The additive is a preparation containing viable cells of six strains of lactic acid bacteria intended for use in feed at the proposed dose of 2.5 × 10(9) CFU/kg complete feedingstuffs. The identity of all of the component strains of Probiotic Lactina(®) was established in a previous opinion, five of which qualify for the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) approach to safety assessment. As no antibiotic resistance of concern was detected in these strains, following the QPS approach, the use of these five strains in feedingstuffs is presumed safe for target species; consumers of products from animals fed the additive and the environment. The identity and safety of the sixth strain, Enterococcus faecium NBIMCC 8270, was also established in the previous and current opinions. The FEEDAP Panel concludes that Probiotic Lactina(®) is safe for rabbits (suckling and weaned) at the recommended inclusion level of 2.5 × 10(9) CFU/kg feed and reiterates its former conclusion that the product is safe for chickens for fattening at 1 × 10(10) CFU/kg feed. The FEEDAP Panel considers Probiotic Lactina(®) to be safe for consumers of products derived from treated animals when used at the conditions proposed. In the absence of data, the FEEDAP Panel cannot conclude on the irritancy of Probiotic Lactina(®) to skin and eyes or on its dermal sensitisation. Owing to the proteinaceous nature of the active agents, the additive is considered to be a potential respiratory sensitiser. No conclusions can be drawn on the efficacy of Probiotic Lactina(®) for chickens for fattening and rabbits (suckling/weaned).