AAFCO feeding trials: what food labels tell you

AAFCO does not approve, certify or endorse individual pet foods, and it does not publish a master list of approved products. A useful comparison starts with the nutritional adequacy statement on the exact food package. AAFCO explains its role here.

What does the label establish?

A claim that a food is complete and balanced must identify the relevant life stage and have a substantiated basis. The statement may refer to formulation against AAFCO nutrient profiles or to animal feeding tests using AAFCO procedures. These are different ways of substantiating adequacy; neither is an AAFCO product endorsement. See the FDA explanation of complete and balanced pet food.

Build a verifiable shortlist

1. Write down the full product name, recipe, country of sale and the label date or batch you checked.
2. Copy its nutritional adequacy statement and the life stage it covers. Ask the manufacturer for a clear copy if it is missing online.
3. Record the calorie value and its unit separately. Calories alone do not establish nutritional adequacy.
4. Ask who formulates the food, what quality controls apply and how to obtain further nutrition information. The WSAVA nutrition resources provide questions for evaluating manufacturers.

Turn the chosen food into a portion

Use the package energy value in the meal planner below. Recheck it when you change recipes. A correct portion calculation is not a test of nutrient balance, product safety or suitability for an individual medical condition.