The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) develops model pet-food regulations, ingredient definitions, nutrient profiles, labeling standards, and feeding-test procedures. AAFCO does not regulate, test, approve, or certify individual pet foods.

Pet-food laws are enforced by government authorities, including state feed-control agencies and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). AAFCO instead creates model standards that states and other regulatory bodies can adopt into their laws and regulations.

For pet owners, AAFCO is most visible on the nutritional adequacy statement printed on dog and cat food labels. This statement helps identify whether a food provides complete and balanced nutrition for a specified life stage.

What Is AAFCO?

AAFCO is a nonprofit association whose members primarily represent government agencies responsible for regulating animal feed and pet food.

AAFCO membership includes employees of state feed-control agencies and other eligible governmental authorities. The FDA, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and state departments of agriculture are represented within the association.

Individual members may have regulatory authority within their jurisdictions. AAFCO itself has no regulatory authority.

Its role is to create uniform definitions, model regulations, technical standards, and regulatory guidance. These models help reduce differences between jurisdictions and create greater consistency in animal-feed regulation.

Does AAFCO Regulate or Approve Pet Food?

No. AAFCO does not regulate, approve, certify, test, or endorse pet food products.

The phrase “AAFCO-approved dog food” is therefore misleading. A company may state that its food meets an AAFCO nutrient profile or passed a feeding trial using AAFCO procedures, but neither claim means AAFCO approved the product.

Regulation belongs mainly to:

• State feed-control authorities;
• The FDA for applicable federal animal-food requirements; and
• Manufacturers, which are responsible for producing and labeling compliant foods.

State regulators can review labels, inspect products or facilities, collect samples, and take enforcement action under their jurisdiction. The FDA also has regulatory authority, particularly where interstate commerce is involved.

What Does AAFCO Do?

AAFCO establishes a common regulatory framework for animal feed and pet food through nutrient standards, ingredient definitions, model regulations, labeling requirements, and feeding-test procedures.

Its main functions affect both pet-food manufacturers and consumers.

1. AAFCO Establishes Ingredient Definitions

AAFCO creates standardized names and definitions for many animal-feed and pet-food ingredients.

These definitions help regulators and manufacturers use consistent terminology. An ingredient with an established AAFCO name must meet the applicable definition rather than being described with a manufacturer-created name.

Pet-food ingredients must also have an appropriate legal basis for use, such as being generally recognized as safe, an approved food additive, or otherwise sanctioned for animal-feed use.

The ingredient statement therefore provides more than a marketing list. It operates within a regulatory framework for ingredient identity and use.

2. AAFCO Establishes Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles

AAFCO nutrient profiles specify nutritional requirements for dog and cat foods represented as complete and balanced diets.

The profiles cover proteins, amino acids, fats, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and other nutritional parameters.

AAFCO identifies 37 nutritional parameters for dogs and 44 for cats. These include minimum requirements and, for some nutrients, maximum levels. Nutrient requirements also vary according to the animal’s life stage.

The first AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles were established in 1991, followed by the Cat Food Nutrient Profiles in 1992. The FDA states that both profiles were most recently updated in 2016.

These profiles help manufacturers formulate diets capable of supporting the nutritional needs of healthy dogs or cats at the intended life stage.

What Does “Complete and Balanced” Mean?

“Complete and balanced” means a pet food is intended to provide all required nutrients for its stated life stage when fed as directed.

According to the FDA, a dog or cat food can substantiate a complete-and-balanced nutritional adequacy claim through either of two main methods:

1. Meeting the applicable AAFCO Dog or Cat Food Nutrient Profile; or
2. Passing a feeding trial using AAFCO procedures.

Treats, snacks, and supplements are generally not intended to serve as the animal’s sole diet. They therefore may not carry a complete-and-balanced claim.

What Does “Formulated to Meet AAFCO Nutrient Profiles” Mean?

A formulation claim means the food is designed to provide every nutrient required by the applicable AAFCO profile at the specified level.

Each nutrient in the relevant profile has a minimum concentration, and some also have a maximum.

This approach evaluates the food against defined nutrient criteria. It does not mean that AAFCO examined or approved the individual product.

What Does an AAFCO Feeding Trial Mean?

A feeding-trial claim means the food demonstrated nutritional adequacy through a feeding test conducted according to AAFCO procedures.

This approach involves feeding the diet under an established protocol rather than relying solely on the formulated nutrient profile.

Both approaches can support a complete-and-balanced claim. A feeding trial should not be described as an AAFCO approval because AAFCO does not personally approve or certify the food.

The two methods can be summarized as follows.

Both methods have a recognized role in establishing nutritional adequacy.

What Life Stages Does AAFCO Recognize?

AAFCO maintains two principal nutrient profiles for both dogs and cats: growth and reproduction, and adult maintenance.

The growth and reproduction profile addresses the nutritional requirements of growing, pregnant, and nursing animals.

The adult maintenance profile addresses the nutritional requirements of healthy adult animals.

Life stage matters because puppies, kittens, pregnant animals, nursing animals, and adults do not have identical nutrient requirements.

Pet owners should therefore read the complete nutritional adequacy statement rather than checking only whether “AAFCO” appears somewhere on the package.

What Information Appears on an AAFCO-Style Pet Food Label?

AAFCO model regulations specify eight major items required on conventional pet-food labels.

The required information helps consumers identify the product, understand its nutrient content, and determine its intended nutritional purpose.

The eight label elements are:

1. Brand and product name
2. Species for which the food is intended
3. Net quantity statement
4. Guaranteed analysis
5. Ingredient statement
6. Nutritional adequacy statement
7. Feeding directions when required
8. Manufacturer or distributor name and address

The first three are displayed on the principal display panel under the traditional model requirements, while other information may appear elsewhere on the package.

What Is Guaranteed Analysis?

Guaranteed analysis reports specified nutrient percentages in the food.

The traditional guaranteed analysis generally includes:

• Minimum crude protein;
• Minimum crude fat;
• Maximum crude fiber; and
• Maximum moisture.

The word “crude” describes the analytical method. It does not mean the protein, fat, or fiber is poor quality.

Additional nutrient guarantees may appear when manufacturers make specific nutritional claims.

How Are Ingredients Listed?

Pet-food ingredients are listed in descending order according to their weight when the product is formulated.

The first ingredient contributes the greatest weight before processing, while the last contributes the least. However, the ingredient statement does not show the exact amount of each ingredient.

This is important when comparing pet foods. Ingredient order alone does not provide a complete nutritional evaluation.

What Is a Nutritional Adequacy Statement?

A nutritional adequacy statement identifies the nutritional purpose of a pet food and usually states the life stage for which it is complete and balanced.

It can also indicate whether the adequacy claim is supported through formulation or a feeding test.

For example, the statement may indicate that a food meets an AAFCO nutrient profile for adult maintenance.

Another food may state that animal-feeding tests using AAFCO procedures substantiate its nutritional adequacy.

The FDA recommends checking this statement when determining whether a product is intended to meet a pet’s complete nutritional needs.

Are Treats and Toppers Complete and Balanced?

Treats, snacks, supplements, and many toppers are not intended to provide a complete diet.

AAFCO’s labeling information notes that products clearly identified as snacks, treats, or supplements can be exempt from the nutritional adequacy statement requirements that apply to complete diets.

This creates an important distinction:

Complete food — intended to provide the animal’s primary nutrition.

Treat or supplemental food — intended to provide a limited dietary role.

A product can therefore be safe and appropriate as a treat without being suitable as the animal’s only food.

What Is the Difference Between AAFCO, FDA, and State Regulators?

AAFCO develops model standards, while the FDA and state authorities enforce applicable pet-food laws.

The three roles are related but not identical.

AAFCO states that its model language can be adopted by states and other governing bodies. Exact regulations and enforcement can therefore differ between jurisdictions.

This distinction explains why AAFCO influences pet-food regulation without acting as the regulator itself.

What Is the AAFCO Official Publication?

The AAFCO Official Publication is the association’s primary reference containing official definitions, model regulations, nutrient profiles, and other feed-regulatory information.

AAFCO and the Official Publication are different entities.

AAFCO is the organization.
The Official Publication is a regulatory reference published by AAFCO.

AAFCO’s current website lists the 2026 Official Publication as its latest edition.

The publication is primarily used by regulators, manufacturers, nutrition professionals, and others who need detailed regulatory information.

Does AAFCO Define “Natural” Pet Food?

Yes. AAFCO has an established definition for “natural” animal feed and pet-food ingredients.

AAFCO’s definition focuses mainly on the source of the ingredient and the types of processing it undergoes. Ingredients can originate from plant, animal, or mined sources and can undergo specified physical or biological processing while remaining within the definition.

Most importantly, natural does not automatically mean safer or more nutritious.

AAFCO specifically notes that its natural definition does not establish that natural ingredients are safer than chemically synthesized ingredients.

The word should therefore be interpreted as a regulated descriptive attribute rather than a complete measure of pet-food quality.

Does AAFCO Define “Human Grade” Pet Food?

Yes. AAFCO has specific standards and guidance for human-grade pet-food claims.

Under AAFCO’s defined term, human grade applies to the product as a whole. The ingredients and finished product must meet applicable requirements concerning handling, processing, storage, and transportation under relevant human-food regulations.

AAFCO announced updated standards for human-grade pet and specialty pet food in 2023.

This means “human grade” is not simply a phrase manufacturers can apply to one attractive ingredient while ignoring the manufacturing and handling of the entire product.

Does “Premium” Mean Higher-Quality Pet Food?

No specific AAFCO nutritional standard makes a “premium” pet food superior to other compliant foods.

AAFCO describes premium as an unregulated term in feed law. A product labeled premium does not have additional nutritional requirements simply because that word appears on the package.

Pet owners should place greater weight on measurable information such as:

• Nutritional adequacy;
• Intended life stage;
• Guaranteed analysis;
• Ingredient information; and
• Individual health requirements.

Marketing terminology should not replace nutritional evaluation.

What Are the Limitations of AAFCO Standards?

AAFCO standards establish nutritional and regulatory baselines, but they do not measure every aspect of pet-food quality.

An AAFCO-related nutritional adequacy claim does not by itself tell you:

• Whether a food is ideal for one individual dog or cat;
• Whether the animal has a disease requiring a modified diet;
• Whether one compliant brand has better manufacturing practices;
• Whether the animal will tolerate the ingredients;
• Whether one complete food is superior to every other complete food.

AAFCO also does not inspect manufacturing plants or enforce pet-food laws as an organization. Regulatory authorities perform those functions.

Therefore, an AAFCO statement should be viewed as evidence of a defined nutritional purpose, not as a universal quality score.

What Has Recently Changed in AAFCO Pet Food Standards?

AAFCO has recently changed both pet-food labeling and the ingredient-review process.

Pet Food Label Modernization

AAFCO began its Pet Food Label Modernization project in 2015. Updated model regulations were approved in 2023 and represent the first major pet-food label update in more than 40 years.

Major changes include:

• A redesigned Pet Nutrition Facts box;
• Clearer intended-use information;
• Updated ingredient-statement rules; and
• Standardized handling and storage information.

AAFCO recommends a six-year transition period as states adopt the updated model regulations. Because states have their own rulemaking processes, adoption does not occur everywhere at the same time.

New Ingredient Review Process

AAFCO’s previous ingredient-definition review arrangement with the FDA ended after the longstanding memorandum of understanding expired.

In January 2025, AAFCO members approved a new scientific-review pathway with Kansas State University’s Olathe Innovation Campus.

The Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions (SRIS) program subsequently launched and began accepting applications for new or modified animal-food ingredient definitions in October 2025.

These developments show that AAFCO standards continue to change as regulatory systems and pet-food science develop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

AAFCO develops many of the nutrient standards, ingredient definitions, model regulations, labeling requirements, and feeding-test procedures used in U.S. pet-food regulation. It does not regulate, test, approve, or certify individual pet-food products.

For pet owners, the nutritional adequacy statement is one of the most useful AAFCO-related parts of a label. It helps determine whether a food is complete and balanced, identifies its intended life stage, and explains how its nutritional adequacy was established.

AAFCO standards provide a regulatory and nutritional baseline. They do not prove that one compliant product is the best choice for every dog or cat. Individual health, life stage, dietary needs, and veterinary advice remain important when selecting a pet food.