Pet Food: Filet Mignon Flavor

We love giving pets delicious food. A great appetite is a sign of health, and nothing is more fun than watching our pets enjoy their food. Unfortunately, we can be deluding ourselves about what we’re feeding. For example, you might think Cesar Canine Cuisine “Filet Mignon Flavor in meaty juices.” Sounds fantastic when you read the advertisements in the Sunday paper. Cesar’s uses a beautifully crafted tin with a bright little Westie and the promise of delicious meal. But, what is in Filet Mignon Flavor food? According to FDA labeling laws, this product does not have to contain any filet mignon. What the FDA says it must contain is 3% filet mignon by-products, filet mignon meal, or filet mignon digests. That leaves 97% of what? Read the label and find out what you’re really feeding.

If you’re surprised that there may be no real filet mignon in this product, these labeling laws may help you understand what’s in pet food:

The Flavor Rule
A pet food label that reads “Peacock Flavor Pet Food” need not contain peacock meat. The peacock flavor can be derived from peacock by-products, peacock meal, or peacock organs (digests).

The 3% “With” Rule
A pet food label that says “Pet Food with Pheasant” need only contain 3% pheasant.

The 25% “Dinner” Rule
A pet food label that says “Chicken Dinner for Dogs” must have 25% chicken. It is possible the pet food actually contains another meat or ingredient present in a higher concentration than the named chicken. The 25% Rule applies to pet foods designated as Dinner, Platter, Entrée, Nuggets, or Formula.

The 95% Rule
A pet food label that says “Bison and Beef for Dogs” must contain 95% bison and beef, and the concentration of bison must be greater than that of beef. If only one ingredient is given on the label, such as Bison for Cats, 70% of the food must be bison.

Guaranteed Analysis
Every label of pet food must list

• minimum crude protein,
• minimum crude fat,
• minimum crude fiber, and
• maximum moisture.

Some—especially cat foods—will also list ash, taurine, and magnesium.

Complete and Balanced
The food meets standards set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials. Either the food was chemically analyzed or the food passed feeding trials in live animals. Live animal trials are considered the gold standard.

Share this post