\o7 Food: an article that provides taste, aroma, or nutritive value.\f7
--Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (which grants the Center for Veterinary Medicine, a division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, primary federal regulatory authority over pet food)
*
Ever wonder what's in dog food? Are Purina's Tender Vittles really tender? Does a Gaines-burger taste like a hamburger? Is Science Diet recommended by scientists? And exactly how many top-breeders actually feed their dogs Kal Kan's Pedigree?
Labels for pet food are regulated by rules different from those for food consumed by humans. At the federal level, pet food labeling and advertising claims are controlled by the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Federal Trade Commission. Some states also enforce their own labeling regulations, which are usually stricter than federal laws.
Then there's the American Assn. of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), an advisory group of feed control officials from all 50 states that also plays a role in the labeling. Although it has no legal authority over pet food manufacturers, AAFCO formulates the nutrient profiles and guidelines pertaining to pet food.
Food labeling is \o7 supposed \f7 to make it easier for consumers to know more about what they are eating (or what their pets are eating). But even with a careful read, pet label language is confusing. Listed below are some of the most revealing elements of a label that might help distinguish the good from the gross.
Bag
Name: The first thing a consumer notices. This is why manufacturers often use cutesy names. Wouldn't you look twice at Deli-Cat, Kibbles&Bits, Come&Get It, Moist&Meaty, Chef's Blend, Sheeba or Alley Cat? Well, maybe not Alley Cat.
Endorsement: AAFCO allows endorsements as long as they are true and not misleading. "We haven't run into too many 'top breeders' claims," says David Dzanis, a veterinary nutritionist with the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine. "But some food labels say 'veterinarian recommended.' Well how many vets do you need? Some have tried to get away with one, usually the owner of the company. It's supposed to be a statistically meaningful sample. I look on it more as puffery--I wouldn't put any value on that kind of statement."
