Pet Food Processing - May 2023 - 32

REGULATORY
Brands will have
the option to add
informative icons to
their packaging to
help communicate
storage and
handling instructions
to consumers.
The Association of American Feed
Control Officials (AAFCO)
were revised based on pet owner feedback. As companies
adopt the labeling changes in the years ahead,
retailers and veterinarians will be able to assist manufacturers
in the ongoing effort to educate pet owners in
making informed choices about their pets' diets.
With the growing
number of pet food
products available
today, consumers
have expressed the
need for clearer
labels to help them
choose the best for
their pet.
©Xenia800 - stock.adobe.com
New packaging is clear
The new label format will require nutrition fact boxes,
similar in design and function to what are currently
found on human foods. With proposed changes to state
the number of calories per common household unit,
such as a cup or can of pet food, the updated fact box
will also include information about the calories from
protein, fat and carbohydrates, similar to what is available
for human foods. For example, pet owners interested
in the source of calories in their pets'
diets can now make choices based
on this information.
Another important
change that will assist in
appropriate pet food selection
is the new requirement
for frontof-packaging
pet
nutrition cues for
pet owners to consider
when making
their purchases.
Updates
to the
AAFCO-proposed
regulations include
clear language on the
lower third of the front of
pet food packages to plainly
32 PET FOOD PROCESSING | May 2023 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
Enough of 'sit,' 'stay,' or
even 'heel.' It is time to leap
forward and implement the
changes that have been so
long coming. "
Louise Calderwood, American Feed Industry Association
state the intended uses of the food with statements, such
as " Complete food for puppies, " or " Cat treats. "
Seven standardized icons have been developed for
voluntary use by pet food manufacturers to provide information
about best practices for storing pet foods and
common handling steps, such as hand washing and using
separate utensils for serving pet foods. If the manufacturer
desires to convey that a pet food should always
be kept frozen, there will soon be a light blue snowflake
icon to clearly show that recommendation as being different
from a dark blue refrigerator icon for foods that
should be refrigerated after opening.
Clarity in nutrition content
The updated format will also include the actual amounts
of protein, fat, dietary fiber and carbohydrates, instead of
the previously required maximum guarantees for protein,
fat and crude fiber. Unlike crude fiber, which only measures
the indigestible fiber fraction, dietary fiber measures
both the soluble and insoluble fiber fractions of the edible
portion of the plant cell wall (found in fruits, vegetable,
whole grains, and legumes, which are more present in today's
pet foods). Although dietary fiber analyses are more
time consuming and expensive to conduct than crude
fiber analyses, the dietary fiber measurement allows pet
owners to more accurately compare fiber amounts when
choosing pet foods. Two diets that are similar in crude
fiber could be very different in the total amount and types
of fiber, and these variations could have dramatically different
effects in pets. Armed with this additional dietary
information, pet owners will be able to make knowledgeable
decisions for their pet's specific needs when selecting
pet foods based on fiber content.
As our understanding increases about the role of carbohydrates
in pet health and weight maintenance, the
modernized label information will allow pet owners to
choose foods to manage the presence of carbohydrates.
Some diets are formulated with more carbohydrates to
allow for lower protein or fat content, which can help to
address a health issue or reduce calories (a gram of fat
provides more than twice the calories of gram of protein
or carbohydrates). This information is also helpful for
owners wishing to manage their pets' weight.
The proposed label modernization supports new la
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