Safety & Quality: Page 125

Pet Food Market

Approval process for petfood ingredients not perfect, but it works

The process by which new petfood ingredients are approved and defined in the US is, well, complicated. But for the most part, the process has worked, based on cooperation between the Association of American Feed Control Officials and US Food and Drug Administration. Last week, the memorandum of understanding that underpins that collaborative process was extended.

Bil-Jac recalls dry dog food for possible mold contamination

Dog food manufacturer Bil-Jac Foods is recalling one batch, 256 cases, of 6-pound Adult Select Formula Dog Food from retailers’ stores and warehouses due to a few reports of mold in bags from the batch. The recall includes a total of 1,024 bags of dry dog food marked with batch number 1792-02 and an expiration date of December 27, 2013.

Groups commend FDA, AAFCO for ingredient definition process extension

Five major US grain, animal feed, feed ingredient and petfood organizations commended the US Food and Drug Administration and the Association of American Feed Control Officials for extending the current Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties, entitled Memorandum of Understanding Between the US Food and Drug Administration and the Association of American Feed Control Officials. "This 12-month extension is vital to the continued success of the AAFCO ingredient review process.

Are your petfood labels accurate?

Petfood product names and ingredients can be key factors in a consumer’s decision to buy a particular product. For example, some pet owners may try to avoid gluten or certain protein sources in a petfood to help prevent allergic reactions in their pets; those who remember the melamine-related recalls of 2007 may still scan ingredient labels for the presence of wheat or wheat gluten.

The ingredients and claims listed on a petfood label can be key factors in a consumerâ€™s decision to buy a particular product.

FDA failing to protect pets from jerky treats, nonprofit claims

Food & Water Watch, a US nonprofit organization that works to ensure safe and sustainable food and water, issued a statement, in which the organization claims that the US Food and Drug Administration is failing to protect pets from potentially toxic chicken jerky treats made in China. According to Food & Water Watch executive director, Wenonah Hauter: "Since 2007, thousands of American dogs have fallen ill or died after eating jerky treats made in China.

Pet Food Market

Where does FDA stand on FSMA implementation?

The US Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is seemingly becoming a classic case of "hurry up and wait." When the act was signed into law by President Obama in January 2011, many players in the human food, petfood and animal feed industries began making an urgent case that food producers in all three industries needed to prepare, and fast, for new rules and regulations emanating from the law. Some experts even sounded notes of doom and gloom over concern that the new regulations would prove costly and onerous, especially for smaller manufacturers.

FDA responds to letter from US animal feed, ingredient, grain groups

Three major US grain, animal feed and feed ingredient processing organizations commended the Food and Drug Administration for clarifying its enforcement policy for implementing several key sections of the Food Safety Modernization Act, which was signed into law in January 2011. Among other things, the Food Safety Modernization Act specifies a July 3 effective date for requirements that grain, feed, feed ingredient, grain processing, milling and other sectors of the commercial food and animal feed industry conduct hazard analyses and implement preventive controls.

FDA announces inspection fees for petfood companies under FSMA

The US Food and Drug Administration announced a reduction in the hourly FDA inspector fees it will levy against petfood companies for the upcoming fiscal year under the Food Safety Modernization Act. FDA will charge US$221 per hour if no foreign travel is required and US$289 per hour if foreign travel is required.

Petco recalls petfood bowls for potential contamination

Pet product retailer Petco is recalling certain stainless steel petfood bowls sold at its store due to the potential that the bowls may contain Cobalt-60, a radioactive material commonly used in industrial gauging equipment and other uses. Petco says it doesn't know how the radioactive material got into the petfood bowls, but believes that it may have come from scrap metal used by foreign suppliers that had Cobalt-60 accidentally mixed in, and which was found to emit low levels of radiation.

Market Trends and Reports

Food technologists offer insights for petfood, too

While the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) focuses mainly on the human food industry, many of the organization’s initiatives, including its annual meeting, are applicable to petfood as well. In fact, when I attended IFT’s 2012 Annual Meeting & Food Expo June 25-28 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, to speak about petfood regulations, I ran into several people from the petfood industry who have been IFT members for years.

President Obama's dog depicted in new campaign against petfood from China

Food & Water Watch, a group that lobbies for stricter food-import laws, has launched a campaign criticizing the safety of food and petfood imported from China, which the group hopes will attract attention with the help of a new poster figure. A recent article from Food & Water Watch features President Obama's dog, Bo Obama, in a photo in front of the White House, with the caption: “Is the First Dog being fed risky chicken treats from China?

Food & Water Watch hopes its article with Bo Obama will draw attention to the lack of regulation on the safety of petfood imported from China.

Pet Food Safety

AVMA discourages pet owners from feeding raw petfood diets

The American Veterinary Medical Association passed a new resolution discouraging the feeding of raw petfood diets to dogs and cats due to human health concerns. The association is discouraging pet owners from feeding raw meat diets because pathogens like Salmonella, E. coli and other bacteria can be easily transmitted to humans by handling the raw food or through contact with the animal's feces.

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