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Commitment to safety
How Pet Food is Made – A Culture of Safety
PFI members provide more choices than ever to feed America’s 180 million dogs and cats, including dry (kibble), wet (canned), semi moist, fresh, dehydrated, freeze-dried and raw-infused food, treats and chews. Our member companies drive continuous improvement in the safety of ingredients and finished product. Their safety programs are forward-looking and employ practices such as applying advances in technology, adhering to strict testing protocols practicing a zero tolerance for the presence of Salmonella and other harmful bacteria, and continual monitoring throughout the manufacturing process to ensure the safest possible food products for our pets.
Six key principles define why PFI members are able to provide quality products:
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Reliable and Trusted Ingredient Suppliers: U.S. pet food and treat makers work closely with their ingredient suppliers.
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Hygienic and Secure Design of Pet Food and Treat Manufacturing Facilities: Smart facilities for safe food and treats.
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Inspecting and Testing Ingredients during Arrival and Unloading: When ingredients arrive at the pet food or treat manufacturing facility, procedures in place during unloading help to ensure that material meets the company’s quality and safety specifications.
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Continuous Monitoring during Manufacturing: Grinding, mixing, cooking, shaping and drying: steps to review and assess food throughout the process.
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Safety and Traceability Assurances during Packaging: Pet food and treat makers are also committed to safety once the food is on its way to retailers, following specific steps during the packaging and distribution of the final product.
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Regulatory Oversight: Beyond the safety and quality measures taken by pet food makers, pet food is one of the most highly regulated pet food products in the U.S.
Pet Food and Treat Safety at Home
PFI members take many steps to support making products that are safe for both pets and the family members who handle pet food. When preparing pet food and treats at home, pet lovers can continue the culture of safety by following standard kitchen hygiene practices to help keep all members of the household safe. Some steps include:
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As with making any meal in the kitchen, clean counter surfaces after preparing a bowl of food.
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Wash your hands after handling food, treats and toys.
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Keep food bowls dry and clean and provide fresh water daily.
Where and how pet food is stored can make a big difference in keeping food safe. Here are some tips for proper pet food storage:
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Check the package: Examine packaging before purchasing to ensure it is clean and hasn’t been damaged with a rip or hole.
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Store securely: Remember, pet food is food. It should be stored in ways that are similar to how human food is stored. Store unopened wet and dry pet food in a cool, dry location. It is not recommended to leave the bag on the floor in the garage or outside.
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Clean containers: Wash and dry the storage container between each bag of food and check for damage and insect activity.
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Keep it fresh: When possible, store dry food in the original bag and within a plastic or metal bin with lid. Wet or fresh food can be covered and stored in the refrigerator according to label guidelines. If you have questions about a specific product, please make sure to contact the manufacturer.
What’s in a Pet Food Label
A US pet food label is full of information to help shoppers make an informed decision about their dog or cat’s food. In addition, because the pet food label is closely regulated, this information is reviewed by state government officials such as staff at a state department of agriculture. This review helps states ensure pet food is safe and labeled properly.
The following key pieces of information are required by law to be on the label of a pet food product:
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Product name
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Intended species
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Weight or volume of the food
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Guaranteed analysis
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Ingredient list
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Nutritional adequacy statement
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Feeding instructions
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Contact information for the manufacturer or distributor
Get a deeper look into the terms and information included to understand what it means and why it’s important to ensure safe, nutritionally balanced cat and dog food.
Complete and Balanced
Dogs and cats require more than 40 essential nutrients in their diets. A pet food labeled as Complete and Balanced will contain nutrients at levels established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). These are different for cats and dogs. Similar terms, such as 100% Nutritious, may be used, as well.
Life Stages
Pet food may be developed for different life stages. For example, growing puppies and kittens require more energy than adult pets. Shoppers will see diets formulated for Growth and Reproduction (puppies, kittens and pregnant pets), Adult Maintenance (only adult pets) or All Life Stages.
The size of a puppy’s breed can also be an important factor on a pet food label. Large breed puppies (based on an anticipated adult weight of at least 70 pounds) can be more susceptible to an excess of calcium in their diet. To help rapidly-growing large breed puppies stay healthy and prevent joint issues, among other challenges, their diet must be lower in certain nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.
A Growth and Reproduction or All Life Stages diet is formulated to consider the growth of large dogs. These terms will be listed on the Nutritional Adequacy Statement of a dog food package.
Nutritional Adequacy Statement
The Nutritional Adequacy Statement, typically found on the back or bottom of a pet food package, reaffirms that the pet food is formulated to provide nutrition for a specific life stage and how that nutrition is assessed. It will also state if the food does not provide complete nutrition and if it is not meant to be served as a meal—such if it is a topper.
Ingredient List
The pet food label lists ingredients in descending order by weight, as is required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Vitamins and minerals are required to include their chemical name, however you may also see the more recognized or common name; for example, Pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6) and Thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1).
Guaranteed Analysis
All pet food is required to provide a Guaranteed Analysis (GA) on the product label. The GA provides product information to regulators who review each label for compliance with nutrient requirements and voluntary label claims. The GA also provides information to consumers, helping them find the levels of at least four nutrients: protein, fat, fiber and moisture. Because pet food will have different levels of moisture based on whether it’s wet or dry, the percentages for nutrients may look extremely varied when comparing the GA of two types of products.
The GA must list additional nutrients if the product label makes nutrition-related claims, such as Omega-3 fatty acids for healthy skin and a shiny coat.