Guaranteed Analysis for Pet Treats

Labeling can be overwhelming when you first get started. But, even on a small scale, proper labeling  is required, and the guaranteed analysis for pet treats is one part we can help!

What’s required on a pet treat label?

There are eight required items that must appear on a pet treat label:

1. Brand and product name
2. Name of intended species
3. Quantity statement
4. Guaranteed analysis
5. Ingredient statement
6. Nutritional adequacy statement
7. Feeding directions
8. Name and address of manufacturer

Guaranteed analysis parameters

There are 4 required parameters on a guaranteed analysis:

1. Moisture
2. Crude Protein
3. Crude Fiber
4. Crude Fat

Crude protein and crude fat are guaranteed at a minimum percentage while moisture and crude fiber are guaranteed at a maximum percentage. These parameters give pet owners a quick overview of the product and allow them to easily compare products.

Other optional nutrients sometimes included on labels for marketing nutritional value and adding transparency include:

1. Ash
2. Macro-minerals: Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), Sulfur (S), Sodium (Na)
3. Microminerals: Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo)

Including minerals or ash can help demonstrate added nutritional value. Ash is commonly added to the basic guaranteed analysis to then provide a calculated value for metabolizable energy or caloric value of the pet food or treats.

Lab reports and labels

When a sample has been tested for a guaranteed analysis, the report will show both as received and dry basis values for the parameters. The dry basis values are simply the concentration of the nutrients with the water removed.

When creating a pet food label, always use the as received value and give yourself some wiggle room. In other words, don’t simply cut and paste the value from the analysis to the label. For nutrients guaranteed on a minimum basis such as protein, label the product with a value slightly below the lab reported value to allow some variation across different batches. Nutrients guaranteed on a maximum basis such as crude fiber, label the product with a slightly higher value.

For example, if the crude protein came back at 9% you might want to guarantee 8.5%. If crude fiber was 3% you might consider guaranteeing 4%. This way you have room for mixing and ingredient differences from batch to batch, but they still adequately represent the treat or food’s nutritional value.

Tips for success

1. Always test the final product
2. Provide an adequate representative sample to the lab
3. Keep detailed records on your formulations and what gets tested
4. Don’t guess!

In conclusion, getting a lab analysis to generate an accurate reliable guaranteed analysis for pet treats is an important step toward selling pet treats even on a small scale. An accurate and reliable label goes a long way in building consumer trust. These days, people love their pets like their own children! Offering wholesome, nutritious pet food and treats is important.