Food labeling

Alcohol [16] Generally, cooked and marinated foods should be avoided, as well as sauces and gravies, which may contain ingredients that, although well tolerated by humans, may be toxic to animals.

Alcohol [16] Generally, cooked and marinated foods should be avoided, as well as sauces and gravies, which may contain ingredients that, although well tolerated by humans, may be toxic to animals. Xylitolan alternative sweetener found in chewing gum and baked goods designed for diabetics, is highly toxic to cats, dogs, and ferrets.

It is further regulated at the state level. Dog and cat foods labeled as "complete and balanced" must meet standards established by the AAFCO either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. Products found to be "complete and balanced" by feeding trials bear the label statement "animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that name of product provides complete and balanced nutrition.

The cats' or dogs' general health is evaluated by a veterinarian before and after the test. Four blood values hemoglobinpacked cell volumeserum alkaline phosphatase and serum albumin are measured after the trial, and the average values of the test subjects must meet minimum levels.

The nutritional adequacy statement would include information on the life stage s for which the product is suitable.

A product labeled as "for all life stages" must meet the more stringent nutrient profile for "growth and reproduction". Products labeled as "intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding" do not need to meet either profile.

The "Family Rule" allows a manufacturer to have a product that is "nutritionally similar" to another product in the same "family" to adopt the latter's "complete and balanced" statement without itself undergoing any feeding tests.

The "similar" food must be of the same processing type; contain the same moisture content; bear a statement of nutritional adequacy for the same or less demanding life stage as the lead product; contain a dry matter, metabolizable energy ME content within 7. The label statement on the similar food can be the same as the lead product if the ME is substantiated by the day ME feeding study.

Generational studies conducted by researchers at University of California, Davis have shown some foods that pass AAFCO's feeding trials are still not suitable for long-term use and estimated that of foods that pass the nutritional analysis, 10 to 20 would not pass the feeding trials.

Although maximum levels of intake of some nutrients have been established because of concerns with overnutritionmany still lack a maximum allowed level and some contains large disparity between maximum and minimum values.

The NRC accepts that despite ongoing research, large gaps still exist in the knowledge of quantitative nutritional information for specific nutrients.

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	Additional reports available include: The ingredient statement will also comply with the "Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act", identifying all major allergens with proper descriptors.

With such broad guidelines and loose feeding trial standards, critics argue that the term "complete and balanced" is inaccurate and even deceptive.

Such terms currently have no official definitions.

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However, the terms "natural" and "organic" do have definitions; e. Participation in the program is voluntary. There are no government regulation of pet food in the Canadian marketplace.

But regulations require that pet food that contains by-products be labeled as "Not for human consumption" even though such by-products have to be derived from animals declared fit for human consumption.

Raw pet food has to be labeled "Pet food only". Ingredients are listed in descending order by weight. According to recent results of an in-depth research of the pet food crisismelamine used in coatings for pet food cans can migrate into the food.

Therefore, the regular melamine migration limit SML of 2.

The Importance of Food Labeling

The recalls came in response to reports of kidney failure in pets consuming mostly wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company, beginning in February After more than three weeks of complaints from consumers, the recall began voluntarily with the Canadian company Menu Foods on March 16,when a company test showed sickness and death in some of the test animals.

Soon after, there were numerous media reports of animal deaths as a result of kidney failure, and several other companies who received the contaminated wheat gluten also voluntarily recalled dozens of pet food brands. Menu Foods recalled almost over 50 brands of dog food, [28] and over 40 brands of cat food.

As of April 8, Menu Foods has confirmed only about 16 deaths. Food and Drug Administration refuses to estimate the amount of sick or dead because there is no centralized government records database of animal sickness or death in the United States as there are with humans such as the Centers for Disease Control.

As a result, many sources speculate that the actual number of affected pets may never be known and experts are concerned that the actual death toll could potentially reach into the thousands.

Overall, several major companies have recalled more than brands of pet foods, with most of the recalled product coming from Menu Foods. Although there are several theories of the source of the agent causing sickness in affected animals, with extensive government and private testing and forensic research, to date, no definitive cause has been isolated.

The Importance of Food Labeling

As of April 10, the most likely cause, according to the FDA, though not yet proven, is indicated by the presence of melamine in wheat gluten in the affected foods.

The Chinese company behind the contaminated wheat gluten has initially denied any involvement in the contamination, but is cooperating with Chinese and American investigators. In the United States, there has been extensive media coverage of the recall. There has been widespread public outrage and calls for government regulation of pet foods, which had previously been self-regulated by pet food manufacturers.

The United States Senate held an oversight hearing on the matter by April The events have caused distrust of most processed pet foods in some consumers.to the Food Labeling and Standards Staff (HFS), Office of Nutrition, Labeling, and Dietary Supplements, Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, Food and Drug Administration, Paint.

May ) FSANZ sets food labelling standards in the Food Standards Code. These standards are enforced by the Australian states and territories and, in New . Sep 16,  · The Food Labeling Guide’s Chapter 7 about Nutrition Labeling is currently under revision and does not reflect all of the most up-to-date labeling .

Mar 11,  · When it comes to genetically modified organisms in food, many consumers say they have a right to know. Labeling is an important process in the food processing chain and should not be overlooked.

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