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Dog Food Regulations
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The FDA regulates that can of cat
food, bag of dog food, or box of dog treats or snacks in your
pantry. The FDA's regulation of pet food is similar to that for
other animal feeds. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA)
requires that pet foods, like human foods, be pure and
wholesome, safe to eat, produced under sanitary conditions,
contain no harmful substances, and be truthfully labeled. In
addition, canned pet foods must be processed in conformance with
the low acid canned food regulations to ensure the pet food is
free of viable microorganisms (see Title 21 Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR), Part 113).
There is no requirement that pet food products have pre-market
approval by the FDA. However, FDA ensures that the ingredients
used in pet food are safe and have an appropriate function in
the pet food. Many ingredients such as meat, poultry, grains,
and their byproducts are considered safe “foods” and do not
require pre-market approval. Other substances such as mineral and
vitamin sources, colorings, flavorings, and preservatives may be
generally recognized as safe (GRAS) or must have approval as
food additives. (See Title 21 CFR, Parts 73, 74, 81, 573 and
582). For more information about pet foods and marketing a pet
food, see FDA’s Regulation of Pet Food and Information on
Marketing A Pet Food Product.
Pet food labeling is regulated at two levels. The FDA
regulations require proper identification of the product, net
quantity statement, name and place of business of the
manufacturer or distributor, and a proper listing of all the
ingredients in order from most to least, based on weight. Some
states also enforce their own labeling regulations. Many of
these regulations are based on a model provided by the
Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). For more
information about AAFCO, please visit its website. There are two
informational documents on CVM’s web site that provide more
details about labeling requirements: Interpreting Pet Food
Labels and Interpreting Pet Food Labels -- Special Use Foods.
FDA also has put into place policies for making
health claims on pet food, such as “maintains health
of urinary tract,” “low magnesium,” “reduces plaque
and tartar,” and “reduces hairballs in cats.” Guidance
for collecting data to make a urinary tract health
claim is available in Guideline 55 on the CVM internet
site. 
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