What Causes A Dog Food Recall?

By Moses Wright

Dog food safety and effectiveness is regulated by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A new dog food that uses common dog food ingredients does not need to be approved by the FDA before being sold by the pet food manufacturer.

New ingredients that have not been previously established as safe may need FDA approval. For example, sources of meat may not need to be verified as safe since they already have been, but new additives to dog food may need to be approved by the FDA.

Dog food labeling is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration to ensure that the label does not make false claims about its ingredients were the health benefits of the dog food. If the dog food manufacturer includes a claim about the benefits of dog food on the dog food labels, the FDA may test this claim.

A dog food recall may occur if the dog food has been found to be contaminated with a substance that is potentially dangerous for dogs. If the dog food has not been contaminated but the quality of the dog food has been compromised, the dog food manufacturer may issue a voluntary dog food recall if the dog food does not jeopardize the health of dogs.

One of the most common reasons for dog food recall in recent years has been contamination of the food with melamine. Some rice protein concentrate from China was found to be contaminated with melamine after some was used by U.S. pet food companies.

A dog owner can find information on dog food recalls through the pet food section of the website for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. An explanation of the regulations pertaining to dog food are also available on the website.

Many proponents of raw dog food diets may make biased claims about dog food companies and the safety and nutritious content of commercial dog food. Dog food recalls are often given as a reason to switch to a raw food diet.

Dog owners who are concerned about dog food safety and nutrition should discuss their concerns with the veterinarian. There are many options for safe and nutritious dog food. A veterinarian can help the dog owner determine which dog food is best for the dog and fits within the dog owner's budget. - 29895

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