Current through Register No. 12, March 21, 2024
(a) The "guaranteed
analysis" shall be listed in the following order and format:
(1) Required guarantees for pet food or
specialty pet food shall be as follows:
a.
Minimum percentage of crude protein;
b. Minimum percentage of crude fat;
c. Maximum percentage of crude fat, if
required by Agr 1203.10;
d. Maximum
percentage of crude fiber;
e.
Maximum percentage of moisture; and
f. Additional guarantees shall follow
moisture;
(2) When ash
is listed in the guaranteed analysis on a pet food or specialty pet food label,
it shall be guaranteed as a maximum percentage and shall immediately follow
moisture;
(3) A dog or cat food
label shall list other required or voluntary guarantees in the same order and
units of the nutrients in the AAFCO Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profiles as
adopted by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), and
published in the AAFCO Official Publication, 2019 edition, available as noted
in Appendix A.
(4) Guarantees for
substances not listed in the AAFCO Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profiles, shall:
a. Immediately follow the listing of the
recognized nutrients and shall be accompanied by an asterisk referring to the
disclaimer:
"Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO
Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profiles."; and
b. Appear immediately after the last such
guarantee in the same size type as the guarantees; and
(5) A specialty pet food label shall list
other required or voluntary guarantees in the same order and units of the
nutrients in an AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile for the specific species;
however, if no species-specific AAFCO- recognized nutrient profile is
available, the order and units shall follow the same order and units of
nutrients in the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profile.
(6) Guarantees for substances not listed in
an AAFCO recognized nutrient profile for the specific species of animal shall:
a. Immediately follow the listing of
recognized nutrients and shall be accompanied by an asterisk referring to the
disclaimer:
"Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the
(blank).";and
b.
"Blank" shall be completed by listing the specific AAFCO recognized nutrient
profile. This disclaimer shall appear immediately after the last such guarantee
in the same size type as the guarantees. The disclaimer shall only be required
when an AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile is available for the specific species
of specialty pet.
(b) The guaranteed analysis shall not be
expressed with the sliding scale method, such as "Minimum crude protein
15-18%".
(c) The label of a pet
food or a specialty pet food which is formulated as and represented to be a
mineral supplement shall include the following:
(1) Minimum guarantees for all minerals from
sources declared in the ingredient statement and established by an
AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile, expressed as the element in units specified
in the nutrient profile; or
(2)
Minimum guarantees for all minerals from sources declared in the ingredient
statement expressed as the element in units specified in the AAFCO Cat Food
Nutrient Profiles when no species-specific nutrient profile has been recognized
by AAFCO.
(d) Mineral
guarantees required by Agr 1203.04(c)(1) and (2) may be expressed in milligrams
(mg) per unit such as, tablets, capsules, granules, or liquids consistent with
those employed in the quantity statement and directions for use, and a weight
equivalent such as, 1 fl. oz. = 28 grams for liquid products.
(e) The label of a pet food or a specialty
pet food which is formulated as and represented to be a vitamin supplement
shall include the following:
(1) Minimum
guarantees for all vitamins from sources declared in the ingredient statement
and established by an AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile, expressed in units
specified in the nutrient profile; or
(2) Minimum guarantees for all vitamins from
sources declared in the ingredient statement expressed in units specified in
the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles when no species-specific nutrient profile
has been recognized by AAFCO.
(f) Vitamin guarantees required by Agr
1203.04(e) may be expressed in approved units such as, IU, mg, g, per unit of
tablets, capsules, granules, or liquids, consistent with those employed in the
quantity statement and directions for use, and liquids expressed as volume
shall also list a weight equivalent such as, 1 fl. oz. = 28 grams.
(g) When the label of a pet food or specialty
pet food includes a comparison of the nutrient content of the food with levels
established by an AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile such as a table of
comparison, a percentage, or any other designation referring to an individual
nutrient or all of the nutrient levels, the following shall apply:
(1) The product shall meet the
AAFCO-recognized nutrient profile;
(2) The statement of comparison shall be
preceded by a statement that the product meets the AAFCO-recognized profile.
However, the statement that the product meets the AAFCO-recognized nutrient
profile shall not be required provided that the nutritional adequacy statement
as per
Agr 1203.07(a)(1) or
(b) (2)(a) appears elsewhere on the product
label;
(3) The statement of
comparison of the nutrient content shall constitute a guarantee, but need not
be repeated in the guaranteed analysis; and
(4) The statement of comparison may appear on
the label separate and apart from the guaranteed analysis.
(h) The maximum moisture declared on a pet
food or specialty pet food label shall not exceed 78% or the natural moisture
content of the ingredients, whichever is higher. Pet food and specialty pet
food such as, but not limited to, those consisting principally of stew, gravy,
sauce, broth, aspic, juice, or a milk replacer, and which are so labeled, may
contain moisture in excess of 78%.
(i) Guarantees for crude protein, crude fat,
and crude fiber shall not be required when the pet food or specialty pet food
is intended for purposes other than to furnish these substances or they are of
minor significance relative to the primary purpose of the product, such as a
mineral or vitamin supplement.
(j)
Guarantees for microorganisms and enzymes shall be stated in the format as
stipulated in
Agr 1202.04(g) and
(h).
