The European Union legislation is very strict about the ingredients that can be used in animal food (in legal documents, pet food is named “animal feed”*). There are also certain minor differences among countries; I can say from experience that legislation for running an animal food production line in Slovenia is extremely strict, more than in other EU countries.
In general, animal proteins are divided into several quality classes, 1st being the highest quality (used for human consumption). For animals (or pet industry), surplus animal protein sources can be used (usually 3rd quality class is used for pet food, lower classes are used for animal skin chews*). According to FEDIAF, animal proteins in pet industry must come from animals that have been slaughtered under veterinary supervision or controlled fish/seafood and they must meet all the standards set in the EU legislation.
NOT allowed in pet food:
- any ingredients from an animal that has not passed vet inspections as being fit for human consumption at the time of slaughter,
- and/or waste products, road kill, diseased animals etc.
You might have also heard a term: “meat and animal derivatives” – this refers to animal-based ingredients in the recipe of pet food. Most pet foods are made with several ingredients, which are combined into a mixture that should provide daily nutritional requirements of your dog or cat. Legally, you can list all included meat varieties in the mixture (e.g. chicken, fish, beef, venison, etc.) or you can simply name them “meat and animal derivatives“. The rationale behind this is, that “because all the ingredients are subject to the same strict rules for quality and safety, and all recipes are carefully formulated to ensure they meet the pet´s nutritional needs and are palatable for the animal.” This is very common in dry and wet dog food, and in certain brands of dog treats from big companies that are rarely transparent about their ingredient list (my personal opinion, you should make your own informed opinion).
What about “Meat meal“? These are animal by-products that are heat treated and dried, so that most of the moisture and fat is removed. As a result, this provides a concentrated protein source. These are also very common in dry dog food, which is highly processed.
Besides animal meat, there are other sources of protein that can be found in pet food:
- Hunted animals (also have to be slaughtered under veterinary inspection)
- Fish and seafood (from controlled sources)
- Dairy products and eggs (inspected as well)
- Vegetable protein from soybeans and other legumes
- Cereals (cereals can also provide a small proportion of protein*)
- Insect protein
Personally, I prefer transparency in the pet food industry, so we only focus on monoprotein dog food and treats when we produce our own products. Especially now that I have experience with a dog that is severely allergic and sensitive to various foods, additives and hidden ingredients, this has become a way of life and we could never go back. I will write more about our experience in one of our next posts.
Zarja (LYO DOG)