BUZZWORDS DESCRIBING PET FOODS: DECIPHERING FACT FROM FICTION TO INTERPRET MYSTERIOUS MARKET CLAIMS JULIE CHURCHILL DVM, PHD DACVN (continued)
It is important to remember that there is no AAFCO defined nutrient profile for senior/geriatric life stage and the nutrient content of products marketed for senior pets can vary widely. If a product is formulated to meet AAFCO profiles for “all life stages” it must meet the minimum nutritional requirements for both growth and adult maintenance. Products formulated for “all life stages” may contain excessive amounts of some nutrients, which can result in overfeeding. It is better to feed pets with food designed to match their life stage. 3) Method for determining nutritional adequacy. Nutritional adequacy can be established by a pet food company either 1) through animal feeding trials or 2) through formulation tests. Feeding trials are conducted with animals to ensure that nutrients in a given food or line of foods are present in sufficient quantities to promote good health and are bio-available to the animal ensuring the nutrients are digested properly. a. A product bearing the statement: “Product X” is formulated to meet nutrient profiles established by AAFCO (Species) nutrient profiles for [specified] life stage. These formulated products have had nutrient content confirmed by mathematical calculations (adding nutrient content of ingredients listed in a database) or by analytic testing of the finished product (preferred). The formulation method does not include testing involving animals.
b.A product bearing the statement: “Animal Feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate “Product X” provides complete and balanced nutrition for [specified] life stage, has undergone a feeding trail evaluation. Feeding trials allow for an in vivo product evaluation and an indirect measurement of bioavailability of nutrients. Feeding trials are preferable to formulations to help test nutritional adequacy but they do not assure the product provides adequate nutrition under all circumstances. 3 CALORIC CONTENT DISCLOSURE Because of the prevalence of obesity in pets, caloric disclosure and labeling is essential for veterinarians to assess and counsel clients about purchasing pet foods that meet the energy needs of their pets. Fortunately, caloric disclosure is now required on packaging. Owners are still unaware of caloric content variation between foods causing pet owners a risk of overfeeding their pets, resulting in obesity and related health problems. Companies that choose to report the caloric content in ways easily found on websites and packaging are preferred. Making calorie content readily accessible greatly helps the veterinary team determine a proper food dose when making a nutritional recommendation and allows consumers to make comparisons between foods and select more appropriate feeding portions. 4 INGREDIENTS Evaluation of the ingredient list is often the most controversial aspect
when interpreting a label. Evaluating ingredients presents challenges for clients because they are barraged with marketing claims, misinformation and even scare tactics. The belief that the ingredient list is the most important piece of information when judging pet food quality is reinforced when many of the pet food rating systems and pet food reviews are based on judgments about ingredients. With the exception of patients with adverse reactions or primary food allergies, or a traditional Chinese medicine approach, this is often the least useful information provided. (continued)
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