PET Food Processing - October 2019 - 60

CERTIFICATIONS

Certifications offered
through MSC provide
traceability along the
supply chain, which
translates to ingredient
transparency on a pet
food label.
Marine Stewardship Council

a 10-year-old organization that certifies meat products and animal ingredients to encourage livestock
agriculture industry players to improve animal welfare
standards. The organization certified 416 million
animals on farms around the world in 2018 alone.
GAP was founded by the CEO of Whole Foods Market,
John Mackey.
To become "GAP-certified," animal ingredient suppliers and farms are audited by third-parties based on their
compliance with the organization's standards for animal
welfare. Those standards require raw material manufacturers, farms, processing facilities, product manufacturers, retailers and other associated facilities to follow its
chain of custody policy, which states all GAP certified
meat products are labeled and separated correctly before
they can be incorporated in a diet or sold directly on the
market. GAP certifies beef, bison, chickens, goats, hens,
pigs, sheep and turkey.
The certification has a five-tier labeling structure to
encourage continuous improvement. Products displaying the GAP label have been certified for at least one of
its standards of animal welfare, giving pet owners peace
of mind about that product and brand.
For pet supplements, the National Animal Supplement
Council (NASC) offers certifications for dog, cat and
horse products, including those containing cannabidiol (CBD) or hemp, a trend that has swept the market
in 2019. NASC uses independent, third-party auditors
to certify raw material suppliers, manufacturers, analysis labs and other companies along the supply chain for
quality and food safety.
USDA Organic is another certification displayed

PET FOOD PROCESSING | 2019 | www.petfoodprocessing.net

proudly on many pet food and treat packages. In 2019,
Packaged Facts reported that products with organic
claims made up 34% of pet food purchases.
Processors and suppliers wishing to add organic
products must adhere to strict raw material separation
policies and are subject to yearly review and inspection
processes. What's more is that manufacturers must use
100% organic ingredients in order to call a product organic. If there is even one ingredient in the formula that
is not certified organic by the USDA, a processor cannot
rightfully label that product as organic.
Non-GMO Project Verified is a growing label on
North American pet food packages that aims to provide shoppers assurance that a product has completed a
comprehensive third-party verification for compliance.
Another certification available in this category is offered by A Greener World (AGW). Available to farmers,
ranchers and food producers, the Certified Non-GMO
label by AGW ensures food products are produced without genetically engineered feed, supplements or ingredients and that meat, dairy and eggs come from animals
raised according to defined welfare standards.
Because many product claims are dependent on the
raw material supply of the products' ingredients, it's important for pet food processors to take the necessary
steps of vetting the sources and procedures of their suppliers. Organizations providing certification programs
can be a tool for processors to validate their supply chain
as well as their own processes. These programs are a
meaningful and achievable way for brands to showcase
their commitment to providing consumers transparent
choices in the marketplace.
PFP

http://www.petfoodprocessing.net

PET Food Processing - October 2019

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