---
kind: "section"
citation: "21 C.F.R. § 573.304"
title: "21"
number: "573.304"
heading: "Chromium propionate."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/21/573.304"
---

# §573.304. Chromium propionate.


The food additive chromium propionate may be safely used in animal feed as a source of supplemental chromium in accordance with the following prescribed conditions:

- (a) The additive is manufactured by the reaction of a chromium salt with propionic acid, at an appropriate stoichiometric ratio, to produce triaqua-(mu3-oxo) hexakis (mu2-propionato-O,O′) trichromium propionate with the empirical formula, [Cr3(O)(CH3CH2CO2)6(H2O)3]CH3CH2CO2.
- (b) **The additive is added to feed as follows—**
  - (1) In complete feed for broiler chickens and growing turkeys at a level not to exceed 0.2 milligrams (mg) of chromium from chromium propionate per kilogram feed.
  - (2) In feed for horses at a level not to exceed an intake of 4 mg of chromium from chromium propionate per horse per day.
- (c) **The additive meets the following specifications—**
  - (1) **Total chromium content, 8 to 10 percent.**
  - (2) **Hexavalent chromium content, less than 2 parts per million (ppm).**
  - (3) **Arsenic, less than 1 ppm.**
  - (4) **Cadmium, less than 1 ppm.**
  - (5) Lead, less than 0.5 ppm.
  - (6) Mercury, less than 0.5 ppm.
  - (7) **Viscosity, not more than 2,000 centipoise.**
- (d) The additive shall be incorporated into feed as follows:
  - (1) It shall be incorporated into each ton of feed by adding no less than one pound of a premix containing no more than 181.4 milligrams of added chromium from chromium propionate per pound.
  - (2) The premix manufacturer shall follow good manufacturing practices in the production of chromium propionate premixes. Inventory, production, and distribution records must provide a complete and accurate history of product production.
  - (3) **Chromium from all sources of supplemental chromium cannot exceed—**
    - (i) A level of 0.2 ppm in complete feed for broiler chickens and growing turkeys.
    - (ii) **An intake of 4 mg per horse per day.**
- (e) To assure safe use of the additive in addition to the other information required by the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act:
  - (1) The label and labeling of the additive, any feed premix, and feed shall contain the name of the additive.
  - (2) The label and labeling of the additive and any feed premix shall also contain:
    - (i) **A guarantee for added chromium content.**
    - (ii) **Adequate directions for use and cautions for use including these statements—** “Caution: Follow label directions” and consistent with the directions for use, the following:
      - (A) For feed for broiler chickens and growing turkeys, “Chromium from all sources of supplemental chromium cannot exceed 0.2 parts per million of the complete feed.”
      - (B) For feed for horses, “Chromium from all sources of supplemental chromium cannot exceed 4 milligrams per horse per day.”

## Notes

### Amendments

[81 FR 35611, June 3, 2016, as amended at 85 FR 14566, Mar. 13, 2020; 85 FR 48650, Aug. 12, 2020; 89 FR 5768, Jan. 30, 2024]

### Authority

Authority: 21 U.S.C. 321, 342, 348.

### Source

Source: 41 FR 38652, Sept. 10, 1976, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[81 FR 35611, June 3, 2016, as amended at 85 FR 14566, Mar. 13, 2020; 85 FR 48650, Aug. 12, 2020; 89 FR 5768, Jan. 30, 2024]