PET Food Processing - March 2019 - 36

REGULATORY

AAFCO warns that
there is no single
agency or group that
will give approval
for sale of pet food
products in all states
and that registration
and licensing
requirements must be
met for every state.

Oregon-based meat
business The Butcher
Shop uses tripleground bone in its
raw pet food formulas
under FDA inspection.
Paradux Media Group

companies at a cost to them. Pet foods may contain other
generally recognized as safe (GRAS) ingredients or those
approved by organizations such as the Pet Food Institute
that lead to a balanced diet or provide other substantiated
descriptors, such as lean, low fat or organic.
Smaller processors should be aware of, identify and
also be alert to labeling requirements for ingredients
obtained from foreign countries. Further information
about pet food labeling is available from www.petfoodinstitute.org and the Association of American Feed
Control Officials (AAFCO) at www.aafco.org, which
also details state-level rules and labeling requirements.
AAFCO also warns that there is no single agency or
group that will give approval for sale of pet food products in all states and that registration and licensing requirements must be met for every state. This can complicate marketing for those companies wishing to offer
their pet foods online, through distributors or even via
social media. However, all pet foods must be registered
with the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine.
Smaller companies manufacturing pet foods need to
separate those items from meats or foods produced for

PET FOOD PROCESSING | March 2019 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

human consumption. As a general rule, USDA and state
meat and poultry inspection officials want to see a separation of facilities for items being produced for humans
and pets. Over the years, however, they have permitted
common facilities to be used provided the plant has documented separation procedures and follows strict cleanup between different product categories.
It should be noted that the USDA provides a voluntary inspection program for canned pet foods, meaning
that the processor pays for that inspection. Under this
program, the agency indicates the amount of meat ingredients and minimum nutritional profile used, as well
as labeling approval specifications. Processors using this
program may apply an inspection seal to the product, although it is not that widely used.
APHIS, the USDA's Animal and Plant Health
Inspection Service, requires state-approved pet foods
to be registered with them. They may also provide annual label reviews and random food quality checks, and
are authorized to look into complaints and check on
production facilities.
For those smaller meat and poultry processors who
see the potential in a growing market for pet food items
beyond bone and dried pet snacks, it can be a timeconsuming but rewarding process. Pet foods do not have
to be pre-approved before they go to market, but ingredients used in them are regulated by the FDA and must
be safe for consumption and have a purposeful function.
Interest in pet food processing has intensified for
small family-operated meat firms enough that the
American Association of Meat Processors has scheduled
a session on the subject at its 80th Annual Convention
July 25-27, 2019 in Mobile, Alabama.
PFP

http://www.petfoodinstitute.org http://www.aafco.org http://www.petfoodprocessing.net

PET Food Processing - March 2019

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