The Association of American Feed Control Officials has approved new label guidelines for pet food manufacturers and distributors to help consumers shop for pet food, treats and supplements.
“New packaging and labels will be well-defined and easy to understand,” said Austin Therrell, AAFCO’s executive director.
The first major update in 40 years stems from the Pet Food Label Modernization project, which started in 2015. AAFCO conducted consumer research studies, formed workgroups of regulators and food industry advisers, and solicited public comments.
“The feedback we received from consumers and industry advisers throughout this process was an important part of our collaboration to make improvements,” Therrell said.
Major changes include:
- Nutrition facts box: The labeling of pet food, treats and supplements will more closely align with human food labeling and provide nutrition information in a consistent format.
- Intended use statement and nutritional adequacy claim: They will appear on the principal display panel to help customers quickly identify the intended life stage and purpose of the food, treats, food mixers, food supplements and veterinary diets.
- Ingredient statement: An update clarifies the use of parentheticals and naming conventions to simplify consumer understanding.
- Handling and storage: AAFCO added instructions and regulations for consistency.
Because each state will outline how they adopt the regulations, AAFCO recommends a six-year transition for manufacturers to incorporate label and packaging changes fully and that state feed regulatory programs use discretion in enforcing food labels during the period.