READING NUTRITION LABELS
- Pet food labels are full of information related to the product’s nutrition, ingredients, the life stage of the pet it’s formulated for, and more. A pet food label is regulated under both state and federal law.
- Pet food includes the more than 40 nutrients identified by veterinary researchers as essential to pet health. The Association of American Feed Control sets standards for the levels of nutrients that need to be in pet food and how it is shown on the label. A pet food labeled as “complete and balanced” means that it provides those nutrients at the proper levels.
- Pet food may be formulated for different life stages.
- Complete and balanced means total nutrition for a specific life stage. The nutritional needs of a growing puppy or kitten are different than the needs of a pregnant, or adult dog or cat.
- Many foods are labeled for “All Life Stages” which means it meets all of the nutrient requirements for both growth & reproduction and adult maintenance.
- Pet food labels will have a Nutritional Adequacy Statement. This verifies whether a pet food is formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition if so, for what life stage, and how that determination was made.
- Some pet food products, such as types of food toppers and mix-in products, may not be necessary to maintain pet health, nor are they meant to replace a pet food providing complete and balanced nutrition.
- The Guaranteed Anaysis reflects the minimum or maximum amounts of certain nutrients. It also provides information that can help inform consumers on the levels of at least four nutrients: protein, fat, fiber and moisture. Additional nutrients must be included in the GA if a product label makes a claim that mentions a specific nutrient, such as calcium for strong teeth and bones. When comparing dry vs. wet pet food labels, the Guaranteed Analysis may look quite different due to the food’s moisture content.
- Pet food makers choose from a range of ingredients when formulating a recipe with the nutrition listed above. Ingredients may be used for their nutritional content, digestibility, tastiness to the pet, and many other considerations. All ingredients used must be listed on the product label, including special vitamins or minerals.
- Pet owners have a variety of options available to them, such as dry, wet, organic, limited ingredient, and more!