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[alphapets]

ALPHA

PET CARE We manage our own Heads Up For Tails Foundation in addition to maintaining a full-time for-profit retail, manufacturing, and design outlet. We hope to reconnect our world with animals in this way, so that we may all find a peaceful place to coexist. We undertake grassroots projects such as sterilisation campaigns, feeding programmes,…

[alphapets]

CONTROL OF PET FOOD QUALITY

Pet food manufacturers must conform to the rules and regulations set by several agencies at the federal and state levels, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). The USDA controls meat quality and determines which animals can be used in pet foods. The FDA regulates ingredients by setting maximum and minimum limits on certain nutrients and by banning the use of medications or antibiotics in foods, since pet food is sometimes accidentally eaten by children. The job of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), a non-governmental advisory group with representatives in each state, is to register the 3,000 brands and sizes of pet food.

The "guaranteed analysis" statement found on pet food labels was created nearly a century ago when some manufacturers used undesirable ingredients like sand or lime-stone to add weight to their pet food. The guaranteed analysis ensures minimum percentages of crude protein and crude fat and maximum percentages of crude fiber and moisture. The term "crude" refers to a method of testing the elements. Other guarantees may include minimum amounts of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and linoleic acid in dog food, and ash, taurine, and magnesium in cat food. The maximum allowable moisture for canned food is 78%, while dry foods may contain as much as 12% moisture.

Proper labeling of pet foods is required to provide accurate information to the purchaser. Guidelines are set by the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine and the AAFCO. Six basic elements should be on the label: the product name, net weight, name and address of the manufacturer or distributor, guaranteed analysis, ingredient list, and nutritional information. The product name should accurately describe the contents and adhere to the "percentage" rules. The "95%" rule requires that if the product name suggests that meat, poultry, or fish is the primary ingredient, as in "Barbara's Beef Dog Food," it must contain 95% or more of that ingredient, excluding water used in processing. If two meat ingredients are listed as the primary ingredients, the two together must equal 95%.

The "25%" rule, or "dinner" rule, applies to items such as "chicken dinner," "meat entree," and terms like platter, formula, nuggets, and so on. It requires that the food listed must make up between 25 and 95% of all ingredients by weight. If more than two ingredients are in the name, each must be at least three percent in weight and the primary ingredient must be listed first, as all the ingredients on the label must be listed in predominance by weight.

A third rule is the "three percent" rule, or the "with" rule, which applies to minor ingredients listed on the label. For example, "Charlie's Chicken Cat Food with Cheese" should contain at least three percent cheese. Finally, the "flavor rule" requires that if a flavor ingredient, such as meat meal, is included in the name it must be detectable. To prevent misleading customers, the word "flavor" must be in the same size and style as the corresponding ingredient. Any pictures on the label must not be misleading either.

All the ingredients should correspond to the specific names listed in the Official Publication of the AAFCO. Any preservatives, stabilizers, colors, and flavorings must conform to the GRAS rule, "Generally Recognized as Safe." The term "natural" should not be applied to products containing artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives.

Calories per serving and per container should be listed in much the same manner as foods for human consumption, in kilocalories per kilogram. Package codes must be printed on all containers.

Other associations also monitor pet foods and evaluate their effects on pets, such as the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the Pet Food Institute (PFI).