The FDA website – particularly about pet meals – states this:
“The Federal Meals, Drug, and Beauty Act (FD&C Act) requires that each one animal meals, like human meals, be fit for human consumption, produced beneath sanitary circumstances, include no dangerous substances, and be honestly labeled.”
Is that this pet meals honestly labeled?
This Meow Mix cat meals shows photographs of grilled hen breast, roasted turkey breast, salmon fillet, and white fish fillet on the label. BUT, while you learn the elements you discover one thing VERY totally different than these photographs; hen by-product meal, turkey by-product meal, salmon meal, and ocean fish meal.
That is a picture of poultry by-product meal:
Clearly, the precise ingredient within the cat meals is appears NOTHING related to what’s pictured on the label.
We despatched Meow Combine the next message:
“Your packaging on the Meow Combine Authentic Alternative cat meals shows photographs of a grilled piece of hen breast, a chunk of roasted turkey, and two fillets of fish. Your elements don’t appear to match the photographs in your label – the entire meat and fish elements in your cat meals are meal elements as a substitute of complete meals elements as displayed in your label. Are you able to clarify why you place the entire meals photographs in your label?”
We obtained the next response:
“Thanks for contacting The J.M. Smucker Co. to inquire about Meow Combine® Authentic Alternative Cat Meals.
We wished to let that our staff is presently trying into your inquiry. We sincerely recognize your endurance and can contact you as quickly as we are able to.
Sincerely,
Gracia,
Shopper Relations Consultant
Ref # 17188548″
The J.M. Smucker Co has not supplied any extra response.
We additionally despatched the next e mail to FDA:
“On the FDA web site, the company states ‘The Federal Meals, Drug, and Beauty Act (FD&C Act) requires that each one animal meals, like human meals, be fit for human consumption, produced beneath sanitary circumstances, include no dangerous substances, and be honestly labeled.’ With reference to ‘honestly labeled’, can the FDA clarify why no regulatory motion has been taken on the Meow Combine Authentic Alternative cat meals label? This specific cat meals label consists of photographs of a grilled piece of hen breast, a chunk of roasted turkey, and two fillets of fish. Nevertheless the elements included on this pet meals are meal elements; hen by-product meal, turkey by-product meal, salmon meal, and ocean fish meal.
Please present a full rationalization for us to share with pet homeowners to how this pet meals is ‘honestly labeled’ as required by federal legislation.”
The FDA has not responded.
AAFCO laws state this:
“A vignette, graphic, or pictorial illustration on a pet meals or specialty pet meals label shall not misrepresent the contents of the bundle.”
This AAFCO regulation is a part of state legal guidelines in every US state. Many US states require label approval for every product, every year. Which implies, not one US state authority bothers to implement their state label laws (which they’re charged with implementing).
Whereas no pet meals regulatory authority is taking any motion to forestall pet meals labels from deceptive customers, many unknowing pet homeowners ARE being misled.
In case your pet meals comprises photographs of elements on the label or web site, ask them if these precise high quality of elements are within the pet meals. If they don’t affirm (in writing) grilled hen or steak, or salmon fillets are within the pet meals – discover one other pet meals.
If an organization is keen to position deceptive photographs on their label (in violation of state and federal legal guidelines), what else are they keen to mislead you about?
Susan Thixton
Pet Meals Security Advocate
Writer Purchaser Beware, Co-Writer Dinner PAWsible
TruthaboutPetFood.com
Association for Truth in Pet Food
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