Safety & Quality: Page 143

Pet Food Ingredients

Nestlé Purina: building on a tradition of trust

When a company has been making petfood for 90 years and has an iconic name and unprecedented trust in the marketplace, you might think it has no new heights to scale. Yet Nestlé Purina PetCare is not content to rest on history or reputation. In November 2010, the company reached a new milestone by earning the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

After 33 years in the petfood industry and with NestlÃ© Purina, president Terry Block, shown here with Bosco, will retire at the end of 2011.

Pet Food Product Database

Perten Instruments AB Syrup Module for DA 7200

Market Trends and Reports

WellPet recalls canned cat food due to possible thiamine deficiencies

WellPet, maker of Wellness natural petfood, has voluntarily recalled certain lots of its canned cat food due to potentially insufficient amounts of thiamine (vitamin B1). The issue was discovered during independent testing conducted with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

New food safety law impact on imports discussed at Global Food Safety Conference

US Food and Drug Administration Deputy Commissioner for Foods Michael Taylor focused on the new food safety law's impact on imports at the Global Food Safety Conference in London. "All of you in this room acutely understand the major disruptions to our economies and to international trade that occur in the wake of major foodborne illness outbreaks and product recalls," said Taylor at the Global Food Safety Initiative-produced event.

European Food Safety Authority issues guidance on petfood additives

The European Food Safety Authority Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed, FEEDAP, published a guidance for assessing additives in petfood. FEEDAP's opinion, "Guidance on the assessment of additives intended to be used in pets and other non food-producing animals," was published February 1 by EFSA Journal.

Hesco receives 'A' grade on British Retail Consortium audit

Hesco Inc. earned a Certification Grade of “A” at their Hastings, Nebraska, USA, facility during their recent third-party British Retail Consortium audit recognized by the Global Food Safety Initiative. Under the GFSI scheme, food producers and manufacturers are benchmarked against food safety requirements by independent licensed auditors.

New US food safety bill means changes for importers

The US Food and Drug Administration Food Safety Modernization Act, signed into law on Jan. 4, will have a significant impact on food importers, who will need to focus on things like foreign supplier verification programs, certifications and inspections to comply with the new rules. Regulations will require each importer to have a program to ensure that food produced outside the US is subject to procedures that provide the same level of public health protection as is required of producers in the US.

Preservative TBHQ may present hazards in petfood

Tertiary butylhydroquinone, TBHQ, is a chemical preservative used in food and petfood to delay the onset of rancidness and greatly extend the storage life of foods. According to an article by Shona Botes on NaturalNews.com, the Food and Drug Administration allows amounts of up to 0.02% of the total oils in food to be TBHQ, but consuming high doses (between 1 and 4 grams) can cause nausea, delirium, collapse, tinnitus and vomiting.

Mocon Inc. announces 2011 free webinar schedule

Mocon Inc. announced the 2011 schedule for its free webinar series, which will cover topics such as petfood safety, product shelf-life and packaging. Each webinar will be taught by an expert with significant experience in the specific webinar subject.

Pet Food Regulations

US petfood labeling update

In the US, petfood labeling is stipulated by the Association of American Feed Control Officials Model Regulations for Pet Food and Specialty Pet Food. The models are constantly evolving, with often at least an amendment or two every year.

AAFCOâ€™s Pet Food Committee passed final language on an amendment that would mandate all dog and cat food, treat and supplement labels to bear calorie content statements.

Pet Food Regulations

Regulation PF9. Statements of Calorie Content

The proposed AAFCO calorie content regulation, as amended

Consumers still concerned with source of petfood ingredients

Despite increased regulation in the petfood market, consumers are still concerned with the safety of their pet's food and where the ingredients are sourced from, according to a Baltimore Sun article. Knowing where products come from may offer consumers the best chance at making informed choices when selecting a petfood.

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