When you make a decision to purchase food each time, what kind of certification mark do you choose from? In Thailand, certification marks that are familiar or well-known must be the FDA mark, GMP mark, HACCP mark or Q standard mark, etc. For those who live abroad, purchase decisions might be based on the food certification mark of that country listed, and those pet foods may already be quite well-known. They should be certified according to the standards of “AAFCO” as well. So, let's get to know about AAFCO and why animal feed should be certified by them.

► 4 Things to Know About AAFCO Standards on Pet Food Packaging

For those of you who have pets or are fond of pets, here are 4 things to know about the AAFCO standard on pet food packaging. This will help you choose safe food for pets, allowing them to receive complete nutrition and gain good health with details as follows.

1. What is AAFCO?

AAFCO stands for Association of American Feed Control Officials and has been established for a long time, since 1909 or 2452.

2. What is the role of AAFCO?

AAFCO is a non-profit organization that has a role to oversee the feed industry and ensure that pet foods are produced according to the highest quality standards; as a result, pet owners can be confident that those foods are clean, safe, and include complete nutrients. They need to be in accordance with the principles of animal nutrition and can be used to raise animals.

3. Types of pet food according to AAFCO standards

Classifications of animal feed according to the standards of AAFCO can be divided as follows.

             • M (Adult Maintenance) is a normal nutrient formula, which is suitable for adult animals.

             • G (Growth and reproduction) is a high nutrient formula. Therefore, it is especially suitable for young animals and their mothers.

             • A (All Life Stages) is a formula suitable for all growth phases.

             • S (Supplemental Feeding Only) is formulated to be a dietary supplement only.

4. What does the AAFCO's nutrition label on the package state?

The label will include, "(Name of product) is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO (Dog/Cat) Food Nutrient Profiles." or "Animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate that (name of product) provides complete and balanced nutrition."

However, in purchasing pet food, in addition to selecting food that meets AAFCO standards, there are other key components to look at before making a purchase decision, which includes production source, feed registration number, expiration date, ingredients, nutrients, additives, and recommended daily feeding amount, which should be fully indicated clearly on the packaging. It should also be certified by other quality standards such as GMP, HACCP, BRCGS or from the Department of Livestock, etc., which should be taken into account every time you read the label. This will help you make a good decision in purchasing the animal feed that meets the pets needs, is safe and is most suitable for your pets.

Source:

https://www.facebook.com/urbanpawspetstore/photos/a.109217537552483/269929338147968/?type=3

https://www.talingchanpet.net/อ่านฉลากอาหารสัตว์/

https://www.feedmeplease.com/th/articles/how-to-read-dog-food-label.html