Pet Food Processing - January 2025 - 42

FORMULATION
controlled manner to ensure compliance. Some pet food
companies prefer this model when conducted by veterinary
professionals, " she added.
Key measurements
A variety of essential data is collected during trials to
evaluate the safety and effectiveness of pet food. These
measurements go beyond basic observations, offering
deeper insights into a pet's health and wellbeing over the
course of the trial.
" The animals' choices, the consistency they eat, the
food chosen and total consumption are essential measurements, "
said Becca Hampton, animal care technician
and palatability coordinator, AFB International, St
Charles, Mo. " During, before and after testing, the behaviors
are also monitored, as well as stools, to ensure
health and safety. "
Behavioral observations are complemented by physiological
measurements that provide a deeper understanding
of a diet's impact. This data offers a comprehensive
view of how a diet supports a pet's health and
Feeding trials track
behavioral observations
in addition to
physiological measurements
that can
provide an in-depth
understanding of
the diet's impact on
the pet.
AFB International
a strong focus on animal welfare. These protocols are
carefully designed to meet industry standards and regulatory
guidelines, providing consistency across trials.
" A typical AAFCO maintenance feeding trial will last
six months, and during this time we measure daily food
consumption, weekly body weights, and general blood
work (complete blood counts and chemistries). Dogs are
also examined by a vet at the beginning and end of the
trials, " Timlin said. " A diet is considered to pass the trial
if dogs do not show any clinical or pathological signs of
deficiency or excess, individuals do not lose more than
15% body weight and the average group does not lose
more than 10%, and blood analyses stay within healthy
reference ranges. "
Strict adherence to these protocols ensures both scientific
rigor and ethical standards. Oversight by organizations
like the Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee (IACUC) reinforces the commitment to animal
welfare, which is central to every feeding trial.
" Feeding trials are designed following the protocol
outlined in the AAFCO Official Publication (OP), "
said Katy Miller, DVM, director of veterinary services,
BSM Partners. " Most take place at Clinical Research
Organizations (CROs) that, in the United States, require
oversight by committees like the IACUC to ensure the
ethical treatment of animals in research. This requirement
is mandated under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA)
and further reinforced by the Public Health Service
Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals
(PHS Policy).
" Some feeding trials and even AAFCO feeding trials
can also be conducted as in-home studies if done in a
42 PET FOOD PROCESSING | Jan-Feb 2025 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
identifies any potential risks.
" During AAFCO feeding trials, several specific factors
and outcomes are measured to evaluate the safety
and nutritional adequacy of pet food over a period of
26 weeks (six months). Initial, weekly and final body
weights are recorded to monitor growth (for puppies
and kittens) or weight maintenance (for adults). Signs
of adverse reactions such as vomiting, lethargy or poor
appetite are monitored daily. Fecal quality (consistency,
color, frequency) is evaluated and recorded. Blood parameters
(total protein, albumin, alkaline phosphate,
hemoglobin and packed cell volume) are taken and measured
at the start and end of the study, " Quest explained.
In addition to these measurements, daily or weekly
food consumption is tracked to assess the pets' energy
intake. Tracking weight changes provides a snapshot of
the diet's impact on overall energy balance. These observations
collectively confirm whether the pet food meets
nutritional requirements and avoids harmful side effects.
Insights beyond the lab
Real-world insights into palatability, bioavailability and
long-term impacts emerge through trials that go beyond
the scope of lab-based nutritional analyses. These trials
observe how pets interact with food in natural settings.
" The best way to see how an animal responds to a
food, is to feed it, " Timlin said. " The basic proximate
analyses that are run for the label can tell us about the
macro- and micronutrients in the food, but they don't
take into account the bioavailability of the nutrients
(how well the animal can absorb and use the nutrients).
A food source might say it meets the animal's require
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