Reading a pet food labvel A

I. H. Burger

Waltham Centre for Pet Nutrition, Waltham-on-the-Wolds, Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire LE14 4RT

Journal of Small Animal Practice (1993) 34, 189-191

ABSTRACT Behind the myriad of labels which adorn pet

foods there are strict regulations which require manufacturers to list various characteristics of the product. In the UK these declarations are encapsulated in the statutory statement which, in addition to being visible, legible and indelible, must be separate from all other information on the label. The label must indicate whether the product is nutritionally complete or complemen- tary, its intended purpose, eg, growth or adult food, and directions for use. The ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight and the typical analysis must also be declared. For certain nutrients leg, protein) this declaration is mandatory, for others, such as vitamins, the regu- lations are governed by the type and whether they have been added to the product or are natu- rally present. If certain additives have been included, they must be declared using either cat- egories (eg, ‘antioxidant’), chemical names or European Community numbers. Other optional data such as batch numbering and date marking have been stated on the label for many years. The new Feeding Stuffs Regulations (1991) have now incorporated these as obligatory declarations. Any information outside the statutory statement is controlled by the Trade Descriptions Act and therefore must not mislead the purchaser. For example, the label must not suggest that the product possesses properties which it does not, nor must it imply that it is special when similar properties are found in other products. Further- more, the label must not claim that the product will prevent, treat or cure disease - such prod- ucts will normally be controlled by the Medicines Act. The nutrient requirements of pet animals can be met by a range of optimal values between deficiency on one hand and toxicity on the other. The concentration of nutrients in a product will be adjusted within these two ‘goal- posts’ with regard to the species, life stage and type of feeding for which the food is intended. The way that this total technological and nutri- tional package is reflected in the analysis of the product and its directions for use are discussed.

INTRODUCTION In relation to its size a pet food label must re-

present an extremely concentrated information package. Within its confines a manufacturer must make certain declarations which are strictly defined and which provide useful data to the pet owner. This, of course, is in addition to the brand name and characteristic design and image of the product.

In Europe, pet food labels are largely con- trolled by legislation, originating in European Community (EC) Directives, which is then imple- mented through national regulations. For exam- ple, in the UK these directives are promulgated through the Feeding Stuffs Regulations which have recently been updated (HMSO 1991).

THE STATUTORY STATEMENT

The Feeding Stuffs Regulations require manu- facturers to list various characteristics of the product which are encapsulated in the statutory statement. In addition to being visible, legible and indelible it must be separate from all other information on the label. The statutory statement can be conveniently subdivided into various headings (PFMA 1991).

Directions and descriptions

A pet food label must indicate whether the food is nutritionally complete or complementary. In other words whether the food can satisfy the particular nutritional demands without any addi- tional ration or whether another product must be fed in conjunction with it. In the latter case the other food must be stated. This description must be considered in relation to the intended purpose of the food or the particular life stage for which it is defined. For example, the food might be designed for adult maintenance or growth or for all life stages. The species or category of animal is an integral part of this description and this aspect is particularly important for cats. The cat is a nutritional carnivore and has an absolute requirement for some animal tissue in its diet (Burger and others 1991). It is therefore crucial that cats are fed only cat foods - dog foods may not contain a satisfactory nutritional profile for cats. The overall nutritional description of the food often incorporates these three important fac- tors in phrases such as ‘a complete food for grow- ing cats’ or ‘a complementary food for adult dogs’.

The directions for use must also incorporate feeding recommendations or guidelines. These

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I. H. BURGER

may be fairly simple (for adult maintenance in cats) or encompass a wide range (for growing puppies). The amount of food required is dependent on the energy requirement of the ani- mal and it is a particular challenge to provide this information for the dog. The range of body- weight in dogs is uniquely wide from around 1 to 100 kg for normal adult non-obese animals and this means that the derivation of a single equa- tion for energy requirement is somewhat daunt- ing (Burger and Johnson 1991). Other variations, in activity, body conformation, type of hair cov- ering and so on mean that the values given by manufacturers can never be more than a good average guideline. Detailed aspects of energy requirement have been presented in this sympo- sium (Earle 1992) and reinforce the message that the pet owner’s judgement as to whether the ani- mal is too thin or fat (and making the appropriate adjustments to the food offered) is just as impor- tant a factor as the label information.

Ingredient’s list

Ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight. The type of ingredient can be stated by an individual name or may be grouped under various categories as stipulated in the regula- tions. For example the category name ‘meat and animal derivatives’ is used to describe the fleshy parts of slaughtered warm-blooded land animals, fresh or preserved by appropriate treatment, and all products and derivatives of the processing of the carcase or parts of the carcase of such ani- mals. There are similar categories for derivatives of vegetable origin, milk and milk derivatives, fish and fish derivatives, and egg and egg deriva- tives. These categories are designed to provide the consumer with an indication of the source of raw materials while allowing the manufacturer some flexibility in the selection of ingredients within a particular specified category. Neverthe- less, the manufacturer must be aware of the effects of any changes on nutritional content through the analytical declaration.

Nutrient declaration

Declaration is obligatory for the fat-soluble vita- mins A, D and E and for the trace element copper, if any of these have been added to the product. The units used must be mg/kg for copper and international units (IU), mg or pg (per kg) for the vitamins as appropriate. The stated concentration must include the total content, ie, naturally pre- sent and added. For vitamins a guaranteed stabil- ity and shelf life must be stated and this is usually linked to the best before date. The decla- ration of other nutrient concentrations is optional but becomes obligatory if a claim is made within the statutory statement, eg, high in zinc.

Additives declaration Three groups of additives must be declared:

preservatives, antioxidants and colours, if they have been added to the product. The manufactur- er may use either categories (eg, contains EC per- mitted antioxidant) or chemical names (or EC reference numbers). In addition, the manufactur- er must keep a record of which batches of prod- ucts contain particular additives and relate this information to a reference number on the label (this is often the batch number). In this way a consumer can find out which individual addi- tives were used in a product by writing to the rel- evant company and quoting the reference or batch number.

Typical analysis The concentrations of the following nutrients

must be declared as percentages in the product: protein, oil, fibre and ash. The 1991 Feeding Stuffs Regulations also require a statement of the percentage moisture in the product, if this is over 14 per cent. These values can be used to compare nutrient values between different products but it is important always to compare like with like. If the protein and moisture contents of typical pet foods and raw materials are compared (Table 1) then the values all seem very different. Neverthe- less the important aspect is the level of nutrient that is ingested by the animal, and this depends on the energy content of the food. The energy content of food is derived from carbohydrate, fat and protein. As water has no energy value, the energy densities of different products vary in relation to their dry matter contents, and this is a useful way to compare dissimilar materials. For example, if the percentage protein in dry matter of the products in Table 1 are compared, the two pet foods show similar values of around 30 to 35 per cent. This protein content is comfortably adequate to support all life stages of either the dog or cat. The tripe and chicken meat show much higher protein contents which means they can be mixed with other raw materials to provide a lower but still satisfactory protein level.

This discussion begs the question as to whether the declaration of energy content on the label is the next logical step. This may offer some advan- tages but is a very complex issue. As the energy Table 1. Typical product analyses

Canned Dry Dressed Lean pet food pet food tripe* chicken

meat*

Protein% 8.0 30.0 9.4 21.8 Moisture 78.0 8.0 88.1 74.4 Dry matter % 22.0 92.0 11.9 25.6 Protein % 36.4 32.6 79.0 85.1 (in dry matter)

Analyses from Holland and others (1991)

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content depends on the protein, fat and carbohy- drate contents of the product, ie, the energy-con- taining nutrients, the main challenge is to find an acceptable way to calculate the available or metabolisable energy (ME) of the food from these constituents. The ME content depends both upon the composition of the food and the animal which is eating it. For example, the digestive system of the dog seems more efficient than that of the cat. Thus, the same food fed to either dogs or cats will yield different ME values in the two species (Kendall and others 1982). Until an agreed method has been finalised which gives an ME value for pet foods which is neither misleading nor overcomplicated, the EC has ruled that energy declarations on pet foods are illegal. This means that feeding recommendations are of paramount importance - and these, in turn, require compre- hensive feeding trials to ensure that the guide- lines are accurate and reliable.

OUTSIDE THE STATUTORY STATEMENT

Other important information that is shown out- side the statutory statement includes the best before date, batch number, net weight and the name and address of the company responsible for the product. This is not necessarily the manufac- turer but could be a packer, importer or distribu- tor. If the date, number or weight is shown outside the statement then there must be an indi- cation within the statutory statement where to find the information. The latest Feeding Stuffs Regulations require that general information must not mislead the purchaser. For example, the label must not suggest that the product possesses properties which it does not, nor must it imply that it is special when similar properties are found in other products. Furthermore, the label must not claim that the product will prevent, treat or cure disease; such products will normally be controlled by the Medicines Act.

Nevertheless, some pet foods are designed to aid dietary management of disease and make claims to that effect. In the EC, discussions between the Commission and Member States, in consultation with the industry, have been in progress since about June 1991 to ratify the cate- gorisation of this type of product. There is, as yet, no agreed document but it is likely that any future legislation will consider the specific claims made by a particular product on its label.

REFERENCES BURGER, I., EDNEY, A. & HORROCKS, D. (1991) Basics of feline

nutrition. In: Feline Practice. Ed E. Boden, Bailliere Tindall, London. pp 101-115

BURGER, I. H. &JOHNSON, J. V. (1991) Dogs large and small: the allometry of energy requirements within a single species. Journal of Nutrition 121, s18-S21

EARLE, K. E. (1992) Calculations of energy requirements of dogs, cats and small psittacine birds. Waltham Symposium, BSAVA Congress. Journal of Small Animal Practice 34,

HMSO (1991) The Feeding Stuffs Regulations 1991. Statutory Instrument Number 2840. Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, London

HOLLAND, B., W E L C H , A. A., UNWIN, I. D., B u s s , D. H., PAUL, A. A. & SOUTHGATE, D. A. T. (1991) McCance and Widdow- son’s The Composition of Foods. 5th edn. Royal Society of Chemistry and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Cambridge

KENDALL, P. T., HOLME, D. W. & SMITH, P. M. (1982) Compara- tive evaluation of net digestive and absorptive efficiency in dogs and cats fed a variety of contrasting diet types. Journal of Small Animal Practice 23, 577-587

PFMA (1991) PFMA Profile. Pet Food Manufacturers’ Associ- ation, London

ABSTRACT

Canine eosino hilic gastroenteroco P itis

EOSINOPHILIC gastroenterocolitis is a chronic idiopathic inflammatory disease of the canine gastrointestinal tract. Food allergy or immunolog- ical hypersensitivity are suggested causes. Lesions are diffuse or of focal infiltration of eosinophils into one or more layers of the ali- mentary tract, anywhere from the oesophagus to the rectum. More than one site is usually affected and oesophageal involvement is rare. Occurrence is most common in dogs under five years old and especially in German shepherd dogs, rottweilers and dobermann pinschers. Affected dogs have chronic relapsing or intermittent acute gastro- intestinal signs; if the colon or rectum is involved, bloody, mucoid diarrhoea with tenes- mus is common. Vomiting predominates if the stomach is affected. Transmural granulomas or regional enteritis-like lesions are often associated with gastrointestinal obstruction. Malabsorption syndrome, anorexia and vomiting is associated with small intestine eosinophilic gastroentero- colitis. Mild to moderate eosinophilia is com- monly, but not invariably, found on blood analysis. Basophilia may also be present. Biopsy is necessary for definitive diagnosis. Eosinophilic gastroenterocolitis is characterised by diffuse infiltration of mature eosinophils into the mucosa (sometimes submucosa/muscularis) of the digestive tract. Prednisolone is the treatment of choice with or without specific dietary mea- sures. Prognosis is good, any relapses being con- trolled by further courses of medication.

JOHNSON, S. E. (1992) Seminars in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (Small Animal) 7, 145-152

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