Changes

=== Official Publication of the [http://www.aafco.org/ Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)]] ===

=== Official Publication of the [http://www.aafco.org/ Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO)] ===

In 1990 and 1991, AAFCO established the Canine Nutrition Expert (CNE) and Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE) subcommittees (18).  The CNE and FNE subcommittees were charged with updating practical nutrient profiles for both dog and cat foods based on commonly used ingredients (2).  The profiles are updated periodically, the last revision occurring in 2016.  Under the AAFCO model regulations, meeting the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles is one basis for substantiation of nutritional adequacy (complete and balanced) of a product for the designated life stage (2).  The alternative means of ensuring nutritional adequacy of a food is either to perform feeding trials according to standardized feed testing methodology developed by AAFCO, or to formulate the product to meet the criteria as a member of a product family, i.e., a group of similar products whose lead member was demonstrated to be complete and balanced  through passage of a feeding trial.  All products sold as "complete and balanced" in the U.S.A. must substantiate nutritional adequacy through one of these methods, as no other nutritional authorities are recognized.  Those that do not and are not prominently identified as a "snack," "treat" or "supplement" must bear the statement "This product is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only."

In 1990 and 1991, AAFCO established the Canine Nutrition Expert (CNE) and Feline Nutrition Expert (FNE) subcommittees (18).  The CNE and FNE subcommittees were charged with updating practical nutrient profiles for both dog and cat foods based on commonly used ingredients (2).  The profiles are updated periodically, the last revision occurring in 2016.  Under the AAFCO model regulations, meeting the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles is one basis for substantiation of nutritional adequacy (complete and balanced) of a product for the designated life stage (2).  The alternative means of ensuring nutritional adequacy of a food is either to perform feeding trials according to standardized feed testing methodology developed by AAFCO, or to formulate the product to meet the criteria as a member of a product family, i.e., a group of similar products whose lead member was demonstrated to be complete and balanced  through passage of a feeding trial.  All products sold as "complete and balanced" in the U.S.A. must substantiate nutritional adequacy through one of these methods, as no other nutritional authorities are recognized.  Those that do not and are not prominently identified as a "snack," "treat" or "supplement" must bear the statement "This product is intended for intermittent or supplemental feeding only."