AFFCO Certification for Dog and Cat Food - Not A Guarantee of Quality or Good Nutrition in Dog and Cat Food

★ 3 min read

In this article

1. What Is the Association of American Feed Control Officers?
2. A Self Proclaimed, Self-Interested Governing Body
1. What AAFCO is Not
2. What AAFCO Is
3. Health Damaging Ingredients
1. AAFCO Allows
2. AAFCO Insists On
4. Avoid AAFCO Certified Products
   

1. What is the Association of American Feed Control Officials AAFCO?

According to AAFCO, the Association of American Feed Control Officials is a 'non-profit', independent organization.

On the AAFCO website they state:

"(AAFCO) is an independent organization that has been guiding state, federal and international feed regulators with ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory standards for more than 110 years, while supporting the health and safety of people and animals. Our members are charged by their local, state or federal laws to regulate the sale and distribution of animal feeds and animal drug remedies."

2. A Self-Proclaimed, Self-Interested Governing Body

2.1 What AAFCO is Not

 

The AAFCO membership includes some US state and federal representatives. However AAFCO is not a federal or state run government organization.

 

AAFCO is a self-proclaimed 'governing' body of the pet food industry.

 

AAFCO's true reason for existing is not to support the health of your dog and cat. 

 

2.2 What AAFCO Is

AAFCO is a partisan organization. 

 

AAFCO is a non-governmental organization consisting of animal feed lobbyists and manufacturers. It's membership consists primarily of individuals that are directly involved in the pet food manufacturing industry.

  

AAFCO's actual purpose is to:

1. Promote the pet food industry.
2. Enable the largest possible profit margins for the pet food industry.
   

AAFCO is directly responsible for:

1. Unclear labelling on pet food products.
2. Promoting and demanding the inclusion of species inappropriate, toxic and carcinogenic components in pet food.

 

3. Health Damaging Ingredients

AAFCO certification requires food products to contain a vast number of inappropriate food-additives. 

 

AFFCO permits toxic and carcinogenic food components in dog and cat food. 

 

3.1 AAFCO Allows

 

Below a few examples of the many health damaging ingredients AAFCO allows in dog and cat food products.

A partial list

 

Condemned Denatured Meat

1. Meat, fat and derivatives sourced from dead, diseased, dying and disabled animals.
2. Denatured with toxic denaturing agents.

Learn about condemned denatured meat, fat and derivatives in pet food:

• Go to this article.

 

Euthanized Dogs and Cats

 

The bodies (meat, fat, etc.) of euthanized dogs and cats.

 

Learn about dead dogs and cats used in pet food:

• Go to this article.

 

Iodized Salt

 

Find out how iodized salt (common salt, table salt), harms your dog and cat's health:

• Go to this article.

 

Starchy Carbohydrates

 

Starchy carbohydrates used in pet food products are a major cause of health issues and disease in dogs.

 

Find out how starchy carbohydrates harm your dog and cat's health, and what to avoid:

• Go to this article.

Toxic Preservatives

 

Pet food products can contain a long list of harmful preservatives. Learn about some of the most harmful preservatives:

• Go to this article.

 

Toxic Flavoring

 

Flavoring is a common ingredient used to mask the taste of rancid and otherwise inappropriate ingredients.  Flavoring (natural, artificial and organic) is toxic and carcinogenic. Learn about flavoring in pet food and why you should avoid it:

• Go to this article.

 

3.2 AAFCO Demands

 

A properly designed species appropriate diet provides bio-available essential minerals and from whole foods, not from synthetic chemical food additives.

 

The following toxic food additives must be included in pet food to obtain AAFCO certification:

 

Toxic Synthetic Minerals

Learn about these synthetic minerals and how they harm your dog and cat's health:

• Go to this article.

 

.4 Avoid AAFCO Certified Products

 

I strongly recommend dog owners never judge the quality of a dog or cat food product based on AAFCO certification.

 

AAFCO certification means trouble for your dog and cat's health.

Holistic Diet, Nutrition, Wellness Services Tailored to Your Individual Dog and Cat

For information about my holistic diet, nutrition and wellness services, visit my holistic wellness services page.

Maintain good health | Address acute and chronic health issues | Pre and post surgery support and recovery

My holistic wellness services are available worldwide via video consultation.

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To set-up your holistic wellness consultation get in-touch via email, go to my contact me page.

 

Holistic Behavioral Services for Your Dog

For information about my holistic behavioral services, visit my holistic behavioral services page.

For dogs of all ages, sizes and breeds.

My behavioral services are available worldwide via video consultation.

🌎 USA | Canada | UK | Europe | Australia | New Zealand | Asia | South and Central America | Africa | UAE

📱FaceTime | Facebook | Skype | WhatsApp

To set-up your holistic behavioral session get in-touch via email, go to my contact me page.

 

Affiliations to Companies
✓ None.
✓ I don't sell food or supplements.
✓ I'm not aligned with any companies.

Article by Karen Rosenfeld

Photo Credit: photo at top of post by Steshka Willems