Ever wondered about the difference between “human edible” and “human grade” pet food? Much like the misconceptions around “Free Range,” these terms have nuances that impact the standards and marketing of pet food.
Side note: Consider opting for Certified Humane over free range; learn more here.
Now, let’s dive into the real insights on human grade and what it entails. The AAFCO, the authority setting dog food standards, sheds light on the complexities of this topic.
AAFCO Article:
While some pet foods claim to be “human-grade,” this term lacks a clear definition in animal feed regulations. Officially human-edible pet food is rare and expensive. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines products fit for human consumption as “edible.” Edible is a standard; human-grade is not.
For a product to be deemed edible for humans, it must meet stringent regulations, including all ingredients being human-edible, and adherence to federal regulations in 21 CFR 110. If a pet food meets these conditions, human-grade claims can be made; otherwise, it’s an unqualified claim and misbrands the product.
Human-grade doesn’t guarantee nutritional safety for pets, as ingredients suitable for humans may not be safe for animals. Whether a product is advertised as human-grade has no impact on product safety; all pet food must meet feed requirements.
Empowerment through Home Cooking: Taking Charge of Your Pet’s Nutrition
When you cook your pet’s food at home using grocery ingredients, it becomes truly edible for humans or human grade. This cost-effective approach allows you to control quality and costs, avoiding concerns like recalls, meat meal, over-processing, and toxin buildup in your pet’s system.
By doing the cooking yourself, you keep costs down, as evidenced in my cost comparison to companies selling home-cooked food shipped to you in this blog post. It’s worth emphasizing – if you home cook your dog’s food, YOU CONTROL THE QUALITY AND COSTS OF THE FOOD. No worries about recalls, meat meal, diseased meat that is then sterilized and used, over-processed food that is then sprayed with chemicals to bring back the lost nutrition, and toxin buildup in your pet’s system. You wouldn’t want these issues for yourself, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want them for your pet either.
