Aafco Dog Food Standards

Find out what aafco s dog food nutrient profiles are and what it means if you see this acronym somewhere on your dog s food label.

Aafco dog food standards.

One way to prove it is complete and balanced is to test the food and compare it to the aafco standards. In order for a dog food to be marketed as complete and balanced it must meet the nutritional standards. The aafco pet food committee is pleased to announce that the newly revised aafco pet and specialty pet labeling guide is now available for purchase. Product name is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the aafco dog food nutrient profiles.

Aafco cannot and does not approve anything. Aafco is a non profit organization that sets standards for both animal feeds and pet foods in the united states. This guide was originally developed to help control officials industry and other interested parties to better understand and interpret the aafco model regulations for pet food and specialty pet food. For nutrients known to be essential but that lack sufficient data to establish a.

When you buy dog food that claims to be complete and balanced it meets aafco dog food standards. Aafco does not regulate test approve or certify pet foods in any way. They are not a regulatory agency at all. The aafco dog and cat food nutrient profiles express nutrient levels on a dry matter or moisture free basis.

Rather it establishes model labeling standards for manufacturers regarding the ingredient list and nutritional formula and recommends laws or regulations to implement those guidelines. The association of american feed control officials aafco sets the standards for pet food in the united states. Digestibility for crude protein in a diet formulated to meet the aafco dog food nutrient profile for growth and reproduction is 80 18 x 1 00 22 5 x at least 100. If the pet food meets or exceeds the standards it will have the following statement.

The agency doesn t endorse any dog food. Aafco approved dog food true or false. Instead they put together nutritional standards and guidelines. But the guaranteed analysis on a pet food label expresses nutrient levels on an.

The states can then use these and the law templates when writing their own laws and regulations about animal and pet food. What are aafco standards. Aafco is an acronym for the association of american feed control officials. The aafco essentially details what ingredients a dog food label must contain in order to claim complete and balanced.

Aafco establishes the nutritional standards for complete and balanced pet foods and it is the pet food company s responsibility to formulate their products according to the appropriate aafco standard.