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"With" e.g.
"With beef" indicates that the named
ingredient constitutes at least 3% of the food by
weight (excluding water). AAFCO has not defined
the term "all-natural." To some
consumers this means using natural preservatives
like Vitamin E or Vitamin C in place of artificial
preservatives such as lieu of BHA, BHT or
ethoxquin, but to others it means the food
contains no artificial ingredients at all.
The Pet Food
Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA) has
developed a code of practice which provides
detailed guidelines to manufacturers for pet food
labeling. Pet food labeling in Australia is
governed by both state industry laws and consumer
product laws In some states of Australia, there is
a legal requirement that the words "PET FOOD
ONLY" appear on the label (or lid of canned
products) of pet food products made in that state.
To further assist consumers to identify the
product as pet food, some state legislation makes
it mandatory for a picture of the animal species
for which it is intended (e.g. a dog or cat) to
feature on the label. A minimum guaranteed
analysis declaration is also required stating
minimum percentage crude protein, crude fat, crude
fibre, moisture, salt (NaCl) and, optionally,
other ingredients. The product can only be
described as "all meat" or "100%
meat" when composed wholly of the named
ingredient or by-products of this ingredient
(excepting water or preservatives). PFIAA has
adopted many of the AAFCO conventions.
In the USA, cat
foods must be "complete" and
"balanced" if they are to be fed as the
sole diet. In the UK, the term
"complete" distinguishes a balanced diet
food from "complementary" (treat) food.
If the product does not contain complete and
balanced nutrition, the label should state
"not to be fed as a sole diet,"
"for intermittent feeding only" or words
of similar meaning. Snacks/treats do not require
nutritional adequacy statements.
British pet food
labels must state whether the product is complete
or complementary; the species for which the
product is intended; directions for use and a
typical analysis i.e. the
percentage of the following must be listed:
proteins, oils & fats, fiber in the product,
moisture in the product when it exceeds14%, ash in
the product (ash represents the mineral content of
the food and is determined chemically by the
burning of the product). The
ingredients must be listed in descending order by
weight using either category names or
individual names. Mixing category names and
individual names on a label is only allowed if an
individual ingredient does not fall into any of
the prescribed categories.
Regulated category
names include 'meat and animal derivatives',
'cereals', 'derivatives of vegetable origin'. If
particular attention is drawn to a specific
ingredient (eg With Chicken), the percentage of
that ingredient component must also be listed. If
preservatives, antioxidants or colorants have been
added to the product their presence has to be
declared using category or chemical names. If
Vitamins A D & E are added to the product,
their presence and level has to be declared. The
level must include both the quantity naturally
present in the raw materials and the quantity
added.
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