Not having labels on the products on the shelf that represents what is in the can is mis-leading advertising.
Allowing a time lag to change the labels can jeopardize the health of some animals. More and more of pet parents have companion animals with health issues from eating recalled pet foods, foods that changed ingredients but not the label and aggravated allergic reactions and they are trying really hard to help maintain quality of life and quality of nutrition. Any part of our government or the pet food industry that doesn't recognize that cannot be dedicated to safe, nutritious pet foods. Any changes in labeling or nutrient profiles should take that into consideration.
The other frustrating part about AAFCO and those labels on the food - that’s what is supposed to be there. According AVMA Journal, they found the actual measurements to be “significantly” different.
Link to Feb 2009 AVMA Journal article:
http://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/abs/10.2460/javma.234.3.347?journalCode=javmaThat, along with the information about how the recent Nutro Cat food recall came about, puts a glaring spotlight on the fact that 1) QA on incoming ingredients failed, no tests to confirm specifications were done 2) QA on finished goods (the foods you buy that your pet eats) failed, no tests to confirm the product actually met the standards as advertised.
If we’re going to have animals as “family” then we are becoming obligated to protect their health by calling the pet food companies and asking very specific questions. They are profoundly efficient at non-answers and it’s hard to be sure they really told you the truth. If you ask “how much”, for example, they could tell you they don’t know the “exact amount”. On the other hand, if you ask what is the range of levels of X, then they might actually give you an idea of what is in the food. BUT, that can only happen if they do QA tests on the ingredients and QA tests on the finished pet food.
I seriously doubt that Nutro is the only one not doing sufficient QA on nutrient profiles of their finish products. Products that are sold and fed.
Where does that leave the pet parents as consumers?
Marion Nestle had some good summary recommendations:
http://www.foodpolitics.com/2009/06/whats-up-with-nutro-pet-foods/“For everyone: Insist that the companies that make foods for people and pets tell you what is in their products, where the ingredients come from, whether they are testing, and what the results of those tests might be.”
And you know, as well as many of us, that talking to a pet food company is getting pumped full of public relations feel good instead of the truth about the pet foods.
Don't continue as FDA, CVM and AAFCO to be facilitators of media spins, become facilitators of good science behind safety and nutrition instead. Isn't that your job?
Sincerely,
