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Pet Food Labels 195

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Interpretation: Interpretation:
Chicken and egg Beef is at least 25%
ingredients are used of total product
in the product, but are
probably less than 3%
of total product

Interpretation: Interpretation:
Shrimp is at least 3% Tuna is at least 70%
of total product. Moisture of total product
content is greater than 78%
since the descriptor “in jelly”
is used

Figure 9-2. Examples of pet food descriptor terms.

will be used as an example (Figure 9-2): 1) unqualified use of Percentage rules also apply to product names and moisture
the term “Beef” in a product name requires that beef ingredi- content of foods. In the United States, the maximum moisture
ents be at least 95% or more of the total weight of all ingredi- content in all pet foods should not exceed 78%. However, pet
ents exclusive of water used in processing, but in no case less foods can have moisture contents higher than 78% if they are
than 70% of the total product, 2) use of the term “Beef” with a labeled as a stew, gravy, broth, juice or milk replacer. High-
qualifier such as “Beef dinner,” “Beef platter,” “Beef entree,” moisture pet foods in cans, pouches or tins will contain terms
“Beef formula,” or any similar designation requires that beef such as “in sauce,” “in aspic,” “in gravy” or some similar desig-
ingredients be at least 25% of the total weight of all ingredients nation in the product name.
exclusive of water used in processing, but in no case less than
10% of the total product, 3) the term “With Beef” is intended DESIGNATOR
to highlight minor ingredients and this example requires that The words “dog food,” “for cats” or some similar terminolo-
beef ingredients be at least 3% of the total product and 4) the gy must appear conspicuously on the principal display panel of
term “Beef flavor” does not stipulate a minimum percentage. pet foods sold in the United States. These terms clearly identi-
The beef flavor designation usually indicates that beef is less fy the animal for which the product is intended and that the
than 3% of the total product. An ingredient that gives the char- product is not for human consumption.
acterizing flavor (e.g., beef digest, beef by-products) can be used
instead of the actual named flavor, beef. In fact, some ingredi- NET WEIGHT
ents may be less than 1% of the total product and still appear in FDA regulations state that the principal display panel shall
the product name as a flavor. This type of regulation is also bear a declaration of the net quantity of contents. The term
found in human foods in which the product names cranberry “Net Weight” is used most often and must be displayed in
juice, cranberry juice cocktail and cranberry drink indicate dif- conspicuous and easily legible print. Most often, “dual decla-
ferent levels of actual juice in the product. rations” are made, so that the net weight is stated in avoirdu-