Regulations for Animal Feed Manufacturing
From family farms to industrial-scale operations, farms and ranches require animal feed for their livestock. Just as the Food and Drug Administration regulates the purity and cleanliness of food, drugs, and cosmetics for humans, it also sets regulations for animal feed manufacturing. Here’s an overview of how the FDA keeps our pets and livestock safe with high standards for their feed.
Purity of Ingredients
Just as it does for human food, the FDA requires that all animal feed be “pure and wholesome.” It’s no secret that animal feed often uses food-processing byproducts and ingredients that don’t factor into human consumption, such as meat and bone meal, a waste product from rendering plants. But even the ingredients in animal feed must remain free of contaminants and offer nutritional value to animals. Meat and bone meal, for instance, provides affordable and valuable protein to cats, dogs, and livestock.
Keeping Facilities Clean
Sanitary manufacturing processes are imperative to compliance. Per the FDA, all animal feed must be “produced under clean conditions.” This means requiring extensive cleaning procedures to eliminate all possible contaminants or adulterants that could make their way into feed. While rigorous cleaning isn’t always easy for facilities, failing to adhere to this guideline could prove costly—you could face recalls and shutdowns.
Product Safety
The FDA’s guidelines state that all animal feed shall be “free of harmful substances.” This encompasses not only toxic chemicals, but also dangerous byproducts of the manufacturing process, such as pieces of metal that break off from equipment or otherwise find their way into the product. To ensure that animal feed remains free of metallic contaminants, the product undergoes sweeps from powerful industrial electromagnets to capture any metallic particles that could harm pets or livestock. Through this somewhat unorthodox use of electromagnets, manufacturers help keep animals safe.
Truth in Labeling
The fourth guiding principle of the FDA’s regulations for animal feed manufacturing is that products be “labeled appropriately and truthfully.” Section 501 of Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations concerns the regulations by which animal feed labeling must adhere. These include ensuring clear and conspicuous principal labeling for consumers, a legible and factual list of ingredients, and information regarding manufacturers and distributors. Labels must have a “quantity statement,” which lists the ingredients in descending order according to their percentages by weight.
