Optimal Nutrient Requirement - Optimal Nutrient Requirements

Veterinarians, pet food formulators and manufacturers are collectively working together to update the current nutrition standards and formulation guidelines for pet foods sold in the U.S.

Why updates are needed:

Pet foods that adhere to the current guidelines set forth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) can result in nutritional deficiencies if animals require less calories per day (such as senior pets or less active pets) or nutritional excesses if animals require more calories per day than indicated on the pet food bag (such as working dogs).

Currently there are no regulatory requirements for feeding instructions to directly correlate to the product’s nutritional profile, so recommended feeding amounts vary widely, making it impossible for pet owners to compare pet foods.

Pet food nutrient analyses are not required to be made public, so veterinarians and owners often have no way of knowing what amounts of vitamins or minerals are in pet foods. Because pet food companies do not have to disclose the amounts of nutrients in their products it’s impossible to choose foods that are more appropriate for certain medical conditions or genetic predispositions, such as copper storage disease.

AAFCO has not established safe upper limits for most of the minerals they require in pet food to be labeled as “nutritionally complete and balanced” which can result in pets ingesting minerals in amounts that exceed known safe upper limits.

From concerned veterinarians, pet food formulators and manufacturers:

Proposed Updates:

Standardize feeding directions that correlate to product formulation.
Update dog and cat nutrient profiles based on Optimal Nutrient Requirements (ONR) vs. AAFCO’s current minimal nutrient requirements for different life stages and activity levels.
Establish safe upper limits for all required nutrients in pet foods sold in the U.S.
Create clear and accurate pet food label claims.