Ingredient Index
Is Ethoxyquin banned in Europe?
Yes: the EU denied ethoxyquin authorization as a feed additive in 2022, after suspending it in 2017. The US still allows it in animal feed and in small amounts in chili powder and paprika.
What the EU does
Authorization denied. Ethoxyquin is a synthetic antioxidant long used to stop fats in animal feed (especially fishmeal) from going rancid. The EU suspended its authorization as a feed additive in 2017, pending better safety data. After EFSA delivered an unfavorable opinion in January 2022, flagging concerns for long-lived and reproductive animals, for consumers, and for the environment, the EU denied authorization outright through Regulation (EU) 2022/1375, which replaced the earlier suspension.
So this is no longer a temporary hold. As of 2022, ethoxyquin is not an authorized feed additive in the EU, and its residues in feed and food are tightly limited.
Citation Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1375 (denial of authorization); Reg (EU) 2017/962 (earlier suspension, now repealed); EFSA opinion, 27 January 2022
What the US does
Still permitted. In the US, ethoxyquin remains legal as an antioxidant in animal feed, with residue tolerances in meat, poultry, eggs, and fish set out in the federal rules. It is also allowed as a direct food additive in a narrow spot: preserving color in chili powder, paprika, and ground chili at up to 100 parts per million.
That leaves a clear divide. A farmed fish or a spice blend produced under US rules can carry ethoxyquin that the EU, having denied the additive, would not permit in the same way. It is a quieter gap than the pesticide cases, because it lives mostly in feed, but it runs in the same direction.
Citation 21 CFR 172.140 (ethoxyquin in chili powder, paprika, ground chili); 21 CFR 573.380 and 573.400 (animal feed uses); FDA tolerances for residues
Products that commonly contain it
Ethoxyquin lives mostly upstream in the feed chain, plus a narrow spice use:
- Farmed fish and seafood fed ethoxyquin-preserved feed
- Meat, poultry, and eggs from animals on treated feed
- Chili powder, paprika, and ground chili (US direct use)
- Pet food (a common non-food use)
What to look for on a label
It is rarely spelled out on human-food labels, so watch for:
- "Ethoxyquin" on a spice or pet-food label
- EU-market feed and food, which exclude it as an authorized additive
- Certified organic products, which prohibit synthetic antioxidants like ethoxyquin
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Frequently asked questions
Is ethoxyquin banned in Europe?
Yes. The EU suspended it in 2017 and then denied authorization as a feed additive in 2022 after an unfavorable EFSA safety opinion.
Is ethoxyquin allowed in the US?
Yes. It is permitted in animal feed with residue tolerances, and as a color-preserving additive in chili powder, paprika, and ground chili up to 100 ppm.
Where would I encounter it?
Most exposure is indirect, through animals fed ethoxyquin-preserved feed (including farmed fish), plus some chili-based spices and pet food.
Related ingredients
Related reading
Primary sources
- EUR-Lex: Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2022/1375
- eCFR: 21 CFR 172.140 Ethoxyquin
- FDA: labeling and use of ethoxyquin in animal feed
Last reviewed July 27, 2026 · How we assign statuses