Nutrition Series Week #2: The Pet Food Industry

Important things to know about the Pet Food Industry

There are lots of “guidelines” for pet food manufacturers to follow. Unfortunately, being guidelines means they aren’t enforceable rules or laws.  The pet food industry is a bit of a strange beast.  Anyone with the means to mass produce pet food can get into the game, whether it is commercial kibbles, canned food, raw diets, or pet treats.  There are very few hoops to jump through if you have the money to start up the process and get some advertising out there.  Bit of a scary thought.

To help you get a better understanding of what to look for when deciding on a brand of pet food we will talk about the various regulating sources involved in the industry.

These include…

  1. CFIA (Canadian food Inspection Agency)
  2. The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act and the program on Guidelines for the Advertising and Labelling of Pet Food
  3. AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials)

 

The CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)

The CFIA regulates the importation of pet food and related products into Canada. This is done in order to prevent the introduction of foreign animal disease into the country. It is the job of the CFIA to ensure that no pet food related products are brought in that could pose a risk to the health of Canadian livestock. This is extremely important to ensure public health safety as some animal diseases can pose a risk to the safety of the food supply.

The CFIA is concerned about public health only.  They regulate what comes into the country and do certification for exports to make sure Canada is sending safe food elsewhere.  They DO NOT regulate the manufacturing process or nutrient quality of pet foods. 

 

The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act

In an attempt to help regulate the pet food industry a little more, Canada instituted labelling regulations controlled by the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act. This act requires that the weight of the food be placed on the label and the manufacturer contact information in an attempt to enforce consistency and accountability to pet food manufacturers. The actual ingredient label is part of a voluntary program adopted by most manufacturers and guidelines recommend:

  • Having a list of ingredients: listed in descending order by percentage of weight
  • Feeding instructions
  • Guaranteed analysis: information on the minimum and maximum nutritional quantities. For example, the analysis will include the maximum or minimum percentage of protein, fat, fiber and moisture contained in the food.
  • Nutritional adequacy or intended life stage for which the food is suitable (growing puppy vs. geriatric)

 

AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials)

As mentioned in the previous blog, the AAFCO has set out the nutrient requirements for our pets.  The most responsible pet food manufacturers will follow the AAFCO guidelines when formulating their diets.  Again, this is a guideline – at no point does a pet food company need to prove that their food is nutritionally balanced, but the more pets that do well on a diet, the more successful that brand will be and the longer it will stick around. 

 

Food Safety

Why are there so many pet food recalls in the news?

Although the CFIA regulates imports and exports of food products within the country, bacteria contamination is an unfortunate reality.   

The numerous recalls in the last few years have caused a lot of distrust and suspicion from pet owners towards the pet food industry – and with good reason.  The truth is, testing ingredients in each batch of food is a pricey, time consuming process. This is however, the only way to ensure that the food going out is safe.  

This is the reason why veterinarians (in general) are leery of smaller or new pet food companies – they probably don’t have the facilities or resources to test each ingredient or each batch of food. This is why we recommend brands like Hill’s and Royal Canin. These companies are well established and have an excellent record of food safety.

It is best to speak with your vet about your pet’s specific needs based on age, activity level, and special health concerns.  We all want to ensure the long healthy life of those we love. It is because of this that we recommend putting your trust in pet food companies who have the resources to provide you with the best guarantee of safety and nutritional excellence. For more information on this topic feel free to make an appointment with one of our vets, and check in next week when we will be talking about Pet Food Ingredients: Facts and Myths