Page 199 - Small Animal Clinical Nutrition 5th Edition

Pet Food Labels 201

first is the “calculation method,” wherein analytical values for violations of Canadian labeling legislation and in assessing
VetBooks.ir the calorie-containing nutrients in the food (protein, fat and complaints about false or misleading pet food labels or adver-
tising. For this reason, most reputable Canadian pet food com-
carbohydrates) are used to estimate metabolizable energy by the
panies adhere to the Competition Bureau guidelines.
“modified Atwater” formula. This formula is based on average
digestibility of these nutrients in commonly used pet food
ingredients. As such, it tends to underestimate the true calorie CVMA Pet Food Certification
content of very highly digestible foods and overestimate the The Canadian Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) Pet
calorie content of poorly digestible foods. Food Certification Program was established in 1976 as a volun-
Calorie content may also be determined by conducting tary, third-party, quality assurance program for pet foods sold in
AAFCO-sanctioned feeding trials to obtain a more accurate Canada. The CVMA Program establishes nutrient standards,
measurement of digestibility. The most common method is to lifestage feeding protocols and digestibility feeding protocols
feed animals the pet food in question for five days, then to very for dogs and cats (CVMA, 1999; Allard, 1988). Similar to PFI
carefully measure food intake and fecal excretion for an addi- and NRC, the CVMA is not a regulatory agency but provides
tional five days. Comparing “what goes in” to “what comes out,” a method of voluntary enforcement of certain standards for pet
with some additional estimates for nitrogen loss in urine, is a foods. Involvement in the CVMA Pet Food Certification
more reliable method for determining metabolizable energy. Program is not mandatory.
To differentiate the two methods on a pet food label, a calo- The mission of the CVMA Pet Food Certification Program is:
rie content statement determined by the calculation method “To improve the health and well-being of pets by: 1) provid-
must include the word “calculated.” ing a nutritional standard for pet foods for manufacturers to
meet in order to satisfy the nutritional requirements of a nor-
GENERAL INFORMATION mal pet throughout its life, 2) certifying pet foods that meet
In the United States, the name and address of the manufac- the CVMA nutritional standards and monitoring continu-
turer, distributor or dealer must be found on the label, usually ously those foods to ensure that they continue to meet the
on the information panel. The phrases “Distributed by....” or standards of composition, digestibility and palatability, 3)
“Manufactured for....” or “Imported by....” indicate that a com- providing the consumer with a quality assurance program
pany other than the one selling the product has manufactured and a means of identifying a nutritionally sound pet food in
the pet food.This is a common practice with private label brand the marketplace, 4) ensuring the CVMA Seal of Cer-
pet foods. The manufacturer in this case is called a co-packer. tification becomes synonymous in the Canadian public’s
Regulations require that if the product is manufactured in a mind with quality and integrity by assuring that all advertis-
country other than where it is sold, the manufacturer’s informa- ing statements are fairly presented and can be supported by
tion be accompanied by “Product of (country of origin).” the advertiser and 5) helping pet owners understand the
Although not a legal requirement, most manufacturers importance of proper nutrition in preventive health care and
include the universal product code (UPC) or bar code on the 6) encouraging the funding of small animal nutrition
label. Other information such as batch numbers and date of research” (1999).
manufacture are also frequently found on pet food containers or All CVMA-certified pet foods are allowed to display the
labels.This information is important to know when communi- CVMA Seal of Certification on their labels for products sold in
cating with a manufacturer about product in a specific contain- Canada. Because of AAFCO restrictions, pet food containers
er. Some manufacturers will use a freshness date such as “Best sold in the United States cannot display the CVMA Seal.
before (date)” or list other guarantee policies.
Principal Display Panels
Principal display panels on Canadian pet food containers
PET FOOD LABELS IN CANADA may vary. The Canadian government requires that product
identity and net quantity (net weight) be listed on all prin-
Regulation in Canada cipal display panels of pet foods sold in Canada. Other ele-
The Canadian government has few pet food labeling regula- ments of the principal display panel described under United
tions. The Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act specifies that States regulations may appear on the container depending
three basic mandatory statements must appear in English and on several factors.
French languages on a pet food label for food sold in Canada: The CVMA Pet Food Certification Program requires more
1) product identity, 2) product net quantity (metric units first) extensive labeling requirements than does the Canadian law
3) and the dealer’s name and principal place of business. (Allard, 1988). The CVMA Program labeling requirements
The Canadian government’s Competition Bureau has pub- include product identity, designator and net quantity, which
lished a “Guide for the Labeling and Advertising of Pet Foods” are usually found on the principal display panel (Allard,
(2001).This guide provides a voluntary code of conduct setting 1988). Nutritional claims can be stated but must be substan-
out best practices for the labeling and advertising of Canadian- tiated. Product names can contain ingredients (Beef stew,
produced pet foods. Although these guidelines are not law, the Beef flavor, etc.) as described earlier for United States’ labels
guide is used by the Competition Bureau in evaluating possible and follow roughly the same percentage rules. Pet foods that