Reading a pet food label

Behind the myriad of labels which adorn pet foods there are strict regulations which require manufacturers to list various characteristics of the product. In the UK these declarations are encapsulated in the statutory statement which, in addition to being visible, legible and indelible, must be separate from all other information on the label. The label must indicate whether the product is nutritionally complete or complementary, its intended purpose, eg, growth or adult food, and directions for use. The ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight and the typical analysis must also be declared. For certain nutrients (eg, protein) this declaration is mandatory, for others, such as vitamins, the regulations are governed by the type and whether they have been added to the product or are naturally present. If certain additives have been included, they must be declared using either categories (eg, ‘antioxidant’), chemical names or European Community numbers. Other optional data such as batch numbering and date marking have been stated on the label for many years. The new Feeding Stuffs Regulations (1991) have now incorporated these as obligatory declarations. Any information outside the statutory statement is controlled by the Trade Descriptions Act and therefore must not mislead the purchaser. For example, the label must not suggest that the product possesses properties which it does not, nor must it imply that it is special when similar properties are found in other products. Furthermore, the label must not claim that the product will prevent, treat or cure disease — such products will normally be controlled by the Medicines Act. The nutrient requirements of pet animals can be met by a range of optimal values between deficiency on one hand and toxicity on the other. The concentration of nutrients in a product will be adjusted within these two ‘goalposts' with regard to the species, life stage and type of feeding for which the food is intended. The way that this total technological and nutritional package is reflected in the analysis of the product and its directions for use are discussed.