Bovaer is added to cow feed to reduce methane emissions. Does it pass into milk and meat? And is it harmful to humans?

There are growing concerns about the exploit of feed supplements, Bowar 10to reduce methane production in cows.

Bovaer 10 consists of silicon dioxide (mainly sand), propylene glycol (food stabilizer approved by Food Safety Australia New Zealand) and lively substance 3-nitrooxypropanol (3-NOP).

There has been a huge amount of misinformation about the safety of 3-NOP, with some milk from herds fed this additive being labeled “Frankenmilk”. Others feared it could get to humans through beef.

The most critical thing is that 3-NOP is unthreatening. Let’s clear up some major misconceptions.

Why do we need to limit methane production?

In our attempts to limit global warming, we have placed the greatest emphasis on CO₂ as the main man-made greenhouse gas. But methane is also a greenhouse gas, and although we produce less of it, it is: a much stronger greenhouse gas than CO₂.

Agriculture is the biggest a man-made source of methane. As cattle herds expand to meet our growing demand for meat and milk, reducing methane production from cows is an critical way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

There are several ways to do this. Stopping bacteria in the stomachs of cows that produce methane one approach is to produce methane.

The methane produced by cows and sheep does not come from the animals themselves, but from the microbes living in their digestive systems. 3-NO stop the enzymes that perform the last step of methane synthesis in these microorganisms.

3-NOP is not the only compound tested as a feed additive. Australian product based on seaweed, Rumin8for example, it is also in development. Saponins, soap-like chemicals found in plants, and indispensable oils as well has been examined.

However, 3-NOP is currently one of the most popular effective treatments.

But isn’t it poison?

There are concerns on social media that Bovaer is “poisoning our food.”

But, as we say in toxicology, it’s the dose that makes the poison. For example, arsenic is deadly 2–20 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.

In contrast, 3-NOP was not lethal at the doses used in safety studies, up to 600 mg 3-NOP per kg body weight. At a dose of 100 mg per kg body weight in rats, it did not cause any adverse effects.

What about reproductive issues?

The effect of 3-NOP on the reproductive organs has generated a lot of commentary.

Studies in rats and cows showed that doses of 300–500 mg per kg body weight caused contraction of the ovaries and testicles.

In comparison, to achieve the same exposure in humans, a 70 kg human would need to consume 21–35 grams (about 2 tablespoons) of pure 3-NOP daily for many weeks to see this effect.

No human will be exposed to this amount because 3-NOP does not pass into milk – is fully metabolized in the cow’s intestines.

No cow will be exposed to these levels either.

What about cancer?

3-NOP is not genotoxic or mutagenicwhich means it cannot damage DNA. Thus, the effects of 3-NOP are dose-limited, meaning that compact doses are not harmful, while very gigantic doses are (unlike radiation where there is no unthreatening dose).

Scientists found that at a dose of 300 mg per kilogram of body weight benign tumors of the small intestine of female ratsbut not male rats, after 2 years of daily consumption. At a dose of 100 mg 3-NOP per kg body weight, no tumors were observed.

Cows eat less than 2 grams of Bovaer 10 per day (of which only 10% or 0.2 grams is 3-NOP). This is about 1,000 times less than the acceptable daily intake 1 mg 3-NOP per kg body weight per day for a cow weighing 450 kg.

This level of consumption will be not the result in cancer or any of them other adverse effects.

So how much will be people are exposed?

Milk and meat consumers will be exposed to zero 3-NOP. 3-NOP does not penetrate milk and meat: is completely metabolized in the cow’s intestines.

Farmers may be exposed to compact amounts of the feed additive, and industrial workers producing 3-NOP will potentially be exposed to larger amounts. Farmers and industrial workers already wear personal protective equipment to reduce exposure to other agricultural chemicals – and it is recommended to do this with Bovear 10 as well.

How widely has it been tested?

3-NOP has been in development for 15 years and has been subject to multiple reviews by European Food Safety Authority, UK Food Safety Authority AND others.

It has been extensively tested over months of exposure to cattle and has produced no side effects. Some studies actually say so improves the quality of milk and meat.

Bovaer was approved for use in dairy cattle by the European Union from 2022 and Japan in 2024. It is also used in many other countries, including: in beef products, among others Australia.

A very compact amount of 3-NOP enters the environment (less than 0.2% of the dose taken), no accumulates and is easily decomposed therefore, it does not pose a threat to the environment.

Since humans are not exposed to 3-NOP through milk and meat, long-term exposure is not a problem.

What does Bill Gates have to do with this?

Bill Gates has invested in a different feed processing method for methane, Australian seaweed-based Rumin8. But he has nothing to do with Bovaer 10.

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awarded research grants to the company producing 3-NOP for malaria control researchnot for 3-NOP.

The bottom line is that adding 3-NOP to animal feed does not pose any risk to consumers, animals or the environment.