The Pet Food Institute tells consumers that “pet food regulations are complex” and provides consumers a very misleading comparison of “the requirements for pet food with human food rules”. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Here’s the truth.
In a clear attempt to mislead consumers, the Pet Food Institute (PFI – lobby organization that represents Big Pet Food) appears to tell readers that pet food is governed by more complex regulations than human food. It’s so wrong. For anyone to even come close to stating that pet food is held to more stringent regulations than human food is…well…ridiculous (absurd, idiotic).
The truth: Human food labels are required by law to state actual nutrient content – such as actual fat content and actual protein content. Pet food labels are required by law to state either minimum or maximum – not actual. Pet food regulations are very specific to NOT allow actual nutrient information. ‘Protein’ and ‘fat’ on a pet food label are stated as ‘crude’ (which is an estimated measurement) and these nutrients are stated as a minimum. Such as – a pet food label can state 6% fat, but actually the food could contain 26% fat (or more).
There are many (many) more misleading comparisons given by the PFI of human food to pet food. Below you will find a truthful comparison of pet food to human food. (Image below can be enlarged by clicking the image – magnify by clicking on icon in upper right corner after it opens. Or Click Here to view pdf.)
