In the previous installment we handled the deconstruction of that confusing proximate analysis chart on the pet food label. In this article we review some other parts of the label.
The Statement of Adequacy
How do you know if the food you are buying is really any good? And can it be fed appropriately to your pet? To address these issues, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) was founded in 1909. This is the group that defines ingredients and official nutritional terms, and determines the protocols by which pet foods are tested.
“Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that Friskies Fancy Feast provides complete and balanced nutrition for the growth and maintenance of cats.”
This statement (copied verbatim from a can of Friskies Fancy Feast) means that this food was tested on cats and kittens, and that it was found to provide optimal nutritional results. Feeding tests such as these are expensive and smaller companies can’t always afford them.
The AAFCO allows for an alternative certification: a biochemical analysis. In this way the biochemical composition of the diet is compared to known optimal quantities. This enables a diet to become certified as complete without actually being tested on living animals. Since nutrients in the food aren’t always digestible, a chemical analysis may not really tell the nutritional story of the food. In general, it's better to feed a diet that has been objectively studied and proven itself in real animals. If phrases such as “feeding trials” or “feeding tests” aren’t used, it wasn’t tested on real animals. Words to the effect of “meets the standards of the AAFCO” mean only that it achieves the biochemical analysis certification, and not that it was actually tested by feeding it to live animals.
Product Identity: Where’s the Beef?
Product identity is more than the brand name; it is also a statement about the flavor and content. Keep in mind that the AAFCO is very strict about every term that can be used on a pet label. Is there a technical difference between a dog or cat food labeled with “chicken flavor” or “with real fish flavor” and one labeled as “chicken dinner” or “fish dinner?”
YES! The wording of the label the manufacturer is allowed to use on the food depends on HOW MUCH chicken or fish (or other ingredient) is actually inside the can or bag of food! Knowing what the wording of the labels mean can help you make sure you are feeding your pet what you think you are feeding them.
To illustrate what the wording on pet food labels mean, let’s look at some hypothetical dog food. There are four “cans” of Joe’s Dog Food below, all with different amounts of beef inside. The wording of the labels can tell you how much beef must be in the can to legally be allowed to use the wording on the label.
JOE's
BEEF
for Dogs | Beef must comprise at least 70% of the total product |
JOE's
BEEF
DINNER
for Dogs | Beef must comprise at least 25% of the total product |
JOE'S
DOG
FORMULA
with Beef | Beef must comprise at least 3% of the total product |
JOE's
DOG
FORMULA
Beef Flavor | There can be less than 3% beef in the total product (manufacturer must show that animals can distinguish it as beef flavor) |