All pet food manufacturers must be registered and comply with the following retained EU feed legislation which applies to pet food manufactured on an industrial scale and also to smaller scale manufacturers, including pet food manufactured in a person's private home or small unit.
Regulation (EC) No 183/2005 laying down requirements for feed hygiene sets out the feed safety and hygiene requirements at all stages of the production of pet food and include:
- facilities and equipment
- personnel
- production
- quality control including Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP - feed-safety management system)
- storage and transport
- record-keeping, including traceability
- complaints and product recall.
Regulation (EC) No 767/2009 on the placing on the market and use of feed applies to pet food and sets out the:
- safety and marketing requirements
- stringent labelling, presentation and packaging requirements, including analytical declarations
- manufacturer responsibilities
- substantiation of any claims, including nutritional claims
- prohibition on the misleading of purchasers
- prohibition on making medicinal claims.
Directive 2002/32/EC on undesirable substances in animal feed and Regulation 2020/354 feed for particular nutritional purposes (PARNUTS) applies to pet food and provides for the:
- maximum levels of various contaminants (for example, arsenic, lead, dioxins and certain pesticides)
- marketing of dietetic feed (feed intended for particular nutritional purposes), provides a list of authorised intended uses for PARNUTS/dietetic feed for example for cats and dogs and their intended uses for the; reduction of ingredient and nutrient intolerances, compensation for maldigestion.
Regulation 1831/2003 on additives for use in animal nutrition contains requirements for additives in pet food, for example for; vitamins, colourants, flavourings and binders and their authorised use and provides for the:
- categorisation of feed additives
- authorisation of feed additives
- labelling and packaging of feed additives
- provisions relating to a register of additives
- Guidance for trials using feed additives not authorised under Regulation 1831/2003 Article 3(2) “For experiments for scientific purposes, the appropriate authority may authorise the use, as additives, of substances which are not authorised ..., with the exception of antibiotics, provided that the experiments are carried out in accordance with the principles and conditions laid down in Regulation 767/2009 or the guidelines set out in Article 7(4) of this Regulation and provided that there is adequate official supervision. The animals concerned may be used for food production only if the authorities establish that this will have no adverse effect on animal health, human health or the environment.”
- Access the register of regulated food and feed products for Great Britain.
Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 laying down health rules as regards animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and Regulation 142/2011 relates to animal by-products, which are material of animal origin comprising those parts of animals that are either deemed surplus to human consumption or are not normally consumed by people, and derived from animals inspected and passed as fit for human consumption prior to slaughter. It may also include products of animal origin - for example, eggs, milk, butter, honey, etc. These animal materials or animal products not intended for human consumption, are classified as 'animal by-products' (ABP) under this Regulation (usually category 3 ABP) and must be free of any transmissible disease, and excludes material from dying, diseased or disabled animals.
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is responsible for inspecting animal by product operators in Scotland and can provide guidance on the requirements applicable to pet food manufacturers using ABPs. Approval by APHA is required for pet food manufacturers using category 3 ABP. This includes premises manufacturing pet food in domestic houses or small units, whether using meat fit for human consumption or category 3 ABPs. Read guidance on ABPs and feeding animals ABPs.
The retained EU legislation on ABPs is implemented by the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 and the Animal By-Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2015. Further guidance is available from the Scottish Government Animal Health and Welfare.
