Caloric Statement

Dog food labels may have a statement of the calorie content of the product. Calories are stated in terms of metabolizable kilocalories per kilogram (ME kcal/kg) of food and may also be expressed as calories per unit of household measure such as per cup or per can.

Manufacturers may determine the calorie content of their product through calculations based on laboratory analysis of the product or through feeding trial procedures established by AAFCO (The Association of American Feed Control Officials, an independent body that sets guidelines for the pet food industry.)

Additives

Two types of additives are included in pet food products; those that are nutritional and those that add other benefits.

Nutritional additives include vitamins, minerals, fats and amino acids. They permit the supplementation of a product to increase single nutrient levels without disturbing the levels of other nutrients in the diet.

An animal's body cannot distinguish between vitamins that occur in natural ingredients and those which are produced synthetically. The use of synthetic nutrients helps achieve the high degree of nutritional balance found in good-quality pet foods.

The pet food label lists a number of ingredients which do not necessarily provide nutrient benefits, but which do have a specific purpose in the diet. These types of additives are detailed below:

• Antioxidants - Ingredients such as mixed tocopherols are added to the fats in pet foods at extremely low levels to prevent rancidity and, thus, prevent the unpleasant odor, loss of palatability, and destruction of vitamins that can occur when fats go rancid.
• Chemical Preservatives - Preservatives are used in semi-moist-type pet foods to prevent spoilage. These include such ingredients as propylene glycol, sorbic acid, and potassium sorbate. All ingredients of this type must be approved by the FDA for use and are identified as a preservative.
• Flavoring Agents - Flavorings are a convenient way to make products more appealing to dogs. Some may have complicated chemical names, but others such as garlic and onion are also used as flavoring agents.
• Coloring - Colors are added to some pet foods to help maintain a consistent product appearance because the color of natural ingredients can vary, or to distinguish between flavors in a multi-particle food. Artificial colors used in pet foods are the same as those approved for use in human foods and are approved by the FDA.

Feeding Directions

Information in this section should also include the amount of food recommended, which will be a "rule of thumb" or a starting point. Actual feeding amounts will depend on age, activity, size, environment and body metabolism and is best determined by the owner observing the dog's body condition.

Dog food labeled as complete and balanced for any or all life stages is required to list feeding directions for each lifestage declared on the product label. These directions are expressed in common terms and appear prominently on the label.

Guaranteed Analysis

Certain nutrient guarantees are required on the label of all pet foods. These are:

• % Crude protein (minimum amount)
• % Crude fat (minimum amount)
• % Crude fiber (maximum amount)
• % Moisture (maximum amount)

If the manufacturer desires to list any additional guarantees such as vitamins and minerals, in the units defined by AAFCO, these will be shown after moisture.

The reason for the word crude is that the minimum or maximum amount shown is determined by lab assay and is not the amount actually utilized by the animal. Consequently, figures given in the guaranteed analyses do not necessarily indicate nutritional balance or product quality.

The best way to evaluate potential product performance is through statements on the package (such as Animal feeding tests using Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) procedures substantiate that Purina® Dog Chow® provides complete and balanced nutrition for all lifestages.), by the reputation of the manufacturer, and by past product performance.

Ingredient Listing

All ingredients used in the manufacture of the pet food shall be listed in the ingredient list on the label. The ingredients shall be listed in descending order of predominance by weight. No reference can be given to ingredient quality or grade in the ingredient list. The names of all ingredients must be shown in letters that are the same size, color and type.