Pet Food; Understanding the US Labels and AAFCO

Reading nutritional labels on food products can be tricky. Especially when it comes to our pets. If you have looked over your pets' food labels you might have noticed “AAFCO.” What actually is this? It is the Association of American Feed Control. Which is made up of a voluntary membership association. Basically a group made up of federal and state officials, vets, scientists etc. They are supposed to identify safe ingredients, create pet food label requirements, and make nutrient profiles from the latest pet nutrition findings. They set the standard that company’s follow. The FDA still approves and regulates the ingredients. 

Other key terms when reading your pets food label that are important include but do not limit are :  

Range free- Usda says: animal has access to outdoor space but doesn’t mean they go outdoors or that the space isn’t small. 

Cage Free- USDA says animal can freely roam in the space given and has access to fresh water.  

Non gmo - means animal was not given any gmo’s ( genetically modified organism) but it does not mean GMO was not in the food they ate.

When reading labels you want to understand and have some knowledge as to what they are actually putting in your pets food. Here’s a quick tip from the FDA when reading labels :

Look at the basic four: protein, fat, fiber, and water. Many states have regulations requiring the minimum amount of nutrients a pet food must contain, as well as the maximum. Dog food labels must display the percentage of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and moisture. 

There are plenty of healthy options out there that your pet is sure to love and benefit from. Check these organic brands at De’Vora!