Guidelines for Choosing Pet Food ① AAFCO

　This time, we’ll be talking about meals for the dogs and cats you live with.

The meals my beloved pet eats every day

　I currently live with three cats and one dog. I want them to enjoy delicious meals every day. Especially since my pets have all experienced periods where they couldn’t eat tasty food. With so many of them, I can’t afford overly expensive food, but I do want to prioritize their health. When selecting food at home improvement stores, I often find myself carefully reading the package descriptions. In doing so, I’ve noticed several quality assurance standards.

This time, about the AAFCO in the United States

AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials)

It is not a federal government agency, but rather a voluntary association of state feed inspectors and regulatory authorities.

• Role
  AAFCO establishes guidelines for nutritional standards and labeling of pet food. While AAFCO itself does not inspect or certify products, many states have adopted these guidelines into their regulations, making them the de facto standards.
• Features
  The key criterion for complete and balanced nutrition is whether the product meets the nutritional profiles (minimum and maximum nutrient levels) established by the AAFCO.
  Packaging statements such as “Meets AAFCO nutritional standards” are based on these criteria.

　AAFCO establishes the types and amounts of nutrients necessary for dogs and cats to maintain health at each life stage. This is known as the “AAFCO Nutritional Profiles,” which are the most important criteria in order to recognize pet food as a “complete and balanced diet.”

• Growth and Reproduction Period
  A standard that takes into account the increased energy and nutrient requirements of puppies, kittens, and pregnant or lactating females.
• Adult Stage/Maintenance Stage
  Nutritional standards for maintaining the daily health of healthy adult dogs and cats.
• All Life Stages
  Formulated to meet nutritional standards for both growth and maintenance phases, suitable for dogs and cats at any life stage.

　Specifically, minimum content levels are established for dozens of nutrients, including proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

　Furthermore, maximum levels have also been established for certain nutrients such as vitamin A, vitamin D, and copper, where excessive intake may be harmful.

　These nutritional profiles are regularly reviewed and revised based on scientific research. Since new discoveries are constantly emerging from ongoing research, we appreciate that they are updated periodically.

　AAFCO also establishes detailed guidelines for label labeling. Since we can only buy based on what we see on the label, label labeling is important.

• “Complete and Balanced Nutrition” Labeling
  If a product meets the AAFCO nutritional profiles listed above, it is permitted to display a statement such as “Meets AAFCO nutritional standards” on the label. This statement indicates that the pet can maintain good health by consuming only this food and water.
• List of Ingredients
  Ingredients must be listed in descending order of weight.
  Specific terms defined by AAFCO, such as “chicken meal” or “chicken by-products,” must be used; ambiguous expressions are not permitted. For example, labeling “chicken meal” simply as “chicken” is not allowed.

Important Notes

　Personally, I place considerable trust in AAFCO, but naturally, there are points to be mindful of.

The key points to understand about AAFCO standards are as follows:

• AAFCO does not conduct inspections or certifications.
  AAFCO itself is not an organization that inspects, certifies, or approves pet food. Therefore, there is no such thing as an “AAFCO-certified” or “AAFCO-approved” label.
  If you encounter such labels, it is best to avoid them as they are likely misleading.
• AAFCO does not guarantee the quality of ingredients.
  AAFCO standards only verify whether the nutritional content meets the requirements. For example, whether fresh meat or inferior ingredients are used, as long as the final nutritional content meets the standards, the product can be labeled as “meets AAFCO standards.”

Next time, let’s look at other criteria as well.

　Meeting AAFCO standards provides reassurance that the food guarantees a minimum nutritional balance as a “complete and balanced diet.” Compared to overseas, Japan seems to have less stringent standards for pet food in many areas. Within this context, the existence of such standards is truly appreciated.

　However, you cannot judge the quality of pet food based on that alone. It is important to choose by considering the quality of the ingredients and the manufacturing process as well.

In addition to these, there are also European standards and GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), which are international standards for manufacturing control and quality management. I would like to explore these topics in the future as well.

　I find myself increasingly mindful of the AAFCO label when making purchases these days. After all, it’s what goes into the mouths of my precious family members. I want to carefully choose what’s best for each of them.