WHAT IS PET FOOD ANALYSIS? 
Guaranteed Analysis is the gold standard in pet food analysis and a mandatory requirement for all pet food products. RL Labs Guaranteed Analysis service will provide you with AAFCO complaint cat and dog food nutrient profiles which enable you to get your AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement. We also offer a more detailed examination of a pet food’s nutrient content through complete nutritional analysis. Additionally, our pet food micro screen tests for the presence of five common pathogens to ensure your product is safe for pet consumption. Our full AAFCO panel is a comprehensive package where your product is tested for heavy metals, vitamins, minerals, and proximates.  We always recommend a call to discuss your project and to make sure we have all of the necessary information about the ingredients before testing.

To get started or to find more information about any of our services click here.

SHELF LIFE TESTING FOR PET FOOD 

We also offer shelf life testing options for pet food, click here to learn more about our shelf life services. 

WHY IS PET FOOD TESTING IMPORTANT? 

Pet food testing ensures your product is safe for pet consumption and confirms the accuracy of its nutritional content. These values are necessary for labeling and meeting regulatory requirements, which vary by state. 

WHAT ARE THE REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS FOR PET FOOD? 

Pet food is regulated by each state’s Department of Agriculture and the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) which oversees pet food safety and labeling under the FD & C Act and the Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA). Under these acts, manufacturers are required to implement Current Good Manufacturing practices and preventive controls. They are also required to conduct hazard analysis testing for specific pathogens, microbes, heavy metals, and mycotoxins. Manufacturers are held legally responsible for ensuring their products are safe and not adulterated and their labeling accurately reflects the nutrition content of the product. For more information on finding state specific regulations you can contact your state feed control official. 

HOW DOES AAFCO AFFECT INTO REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS? 

The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is non-profit dedicated to improving pet foods by providing guidance for manufacturers on how and what to test. Many states have adopted AAFCO guidance into their pet food regulations. Under AAFCO, all pet food products must include a Guaranteed Analysis, which includes the minimum percent of crude protein and crude fat, and the maximum percent of crude fiber and moisture. 

Ingredients under AAFCO: 

● All ingredients must be listed (even if present in trace amounts)

● Ingredients must be referred to by the correct AAFCO name

● Ingredients are ordered in descending order based on their weight prior to processing

● Ingredients that are included at 2% or less can be listed in any order

● Preservative containing ingredients have specific labeling rules

For exact labeling requirements under AAFCO click here. 

WHAT TO DO IF YOU BELIEVE YOUR PET HAS CONSUMED A TAINTED PRODUCT 

If you’re concerned your pet may have eaten contaminated food, you are not alone. We receive many inquiries about testing pet food suspected of containing harmful pathogens or microbes. Many individuals are looking to potentially sue the pet food manufacturer. Unfortunately, in these cases, legal action may be difficult to pursue due to chain of custody issues related to the sample of the product you have in your possession. There is usually a lack of proof that the food was contaminated between purchase point and your pet’s consumption of the product. 

Our recommendation is that you immediately contact the company from which you purchased the pet food and let them know you believe it was contaminated. They have a responsibility to check their food safety protocols to ensure the food does not contain pathogens. You can also search the FDA’s pet food recall database to see if there were any recalls for the brand and type of the food your pet consumed. 

If you are not satisfied with their response, you can and should contact the Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), the branch of the FDA that regulates pet food. 

In the meantime, if you still want testing done, we can run a food safety test for Staphylococcus aureus (Staph. Aureus), Salmonella, Escherichia coli (E. coli), Mold, and Listeria. However, a potential challenge is that food safety tests are specific and if the contaminant is outside the test scope, it will not be detected. You can learn more about Food Safety Testing by clicking here.