Pet food on the test bench

You would like to check your feed range or the quality of a raw material? With comprehensive laboratory services and qualification as a QS laboratory for feed analysis, we are the right partner at your side. Ask our experts for a suitable analysis package.

Areas of workPet food
Petfood Request Test

Trends from the nutrition industry and a new awareness among pet owners are changing pet food.

The trend towards "free from" products with clean labelling does not stop at pet food. More and more manufacturers are advertising the first-class quality of the raw materials used, a nutritional profile tailored to the animal and the absence of various additives or genetically modified ingredients. Complex regulations to protect animal health, ensure product quality or product safety also determine production. With our comprehensive services, we help manufacturers and retail chains to meet these challenges. We are also approved as a laboratory for feed analysis according to the QS test mark and test for free from genetically modified organisms according to VLOG.

You can find an overview in our topic flyer "PetFood".

Services

  • Standard Analyses Products
    • Product composition
    • Product labelling
    • Microbiological analysis
  • New Product Development
    • Nutritional and physiological testing

      The best friend or the dearest pet - more and more households have a four-legged companion who also wants to be looked after. When it comes to pet food*, the focus is not only on the quality of the raw materials, but also on the nutritional* effect on animal welfare. The recommended composition of pet food in terms of proteins, carbohydrates, fats, minerals and vitamins varies depending on the age and activity of the animal. Would you like to know whether your feed has an optimal nutritional profile*? We offer nutritional expert opinions for pet food for dogs and cats.

    • Sensory testing
    • Marketability testing
    • Claim Check

      "Good for a healthy bone structure" - "The best for a shiny coat". For an advertisement of your product, such slogans are a central part of the labelling. After all, it is these short advertising statements that are supposed to influence the consumer's purchase decision and encourage him to buy your product. To ensure that you do not fall into the trap of unfair competition with these statements, we offer you the evaluation of your slogans, also in combination with the nutrients and additives contained in the pet food.

  • Complaints / Ad-hoc Analysis
    • Contamination
    • Foreign body analysis

      Microbiological contamination, foreign bodies or too high a concentration of regulated additives account for the majority of product recalls. Quick action is now required to keep image damage and production costs as low as possible. In addition to microbiological and wet-chemical tests, we offer rapid identification of foreign substances. Our FoodScience Centre will be happy to advise you.

      For special enquiries, our contact form is available to you at any time for a quick and uncomplicated approach.

  • Production Processes
    • Process validation

Matrices

Dried animal food, wet food, snacks, diet food, hygiene products...

Read also

FEDIAF: Code of good labeling practice of PetFood

Market - Trends - Regulations

  • Market: Pet Food and COVID-19
    • Pet food manufacturers, grocery stores and pet shops are part of the critical infrastructure. Pet owners therefore do not have to fear supply shortages. But what can be determined?
      • The number of planned new pet food products has decreased. Manufacturers are focusing their resources more on internal processes as a result of the pandemic.
      • Online portals are gaining popularity for buying pet food. Retailers and trade chains are expanding their online services and have developed new sales concepts.
  • Trends: Sustainability and pet food
    • The growing awareness of the population on issues of sustainability and climate protection is increasingly influencing the perception of pet food. Aspects such as certificates of origin and supply chains of animal production, organic animal husbandry instead of factory farming, more vegan feed ingredients, compostable cat litter or reusable, recyclable packaging are discussed in pet forums. FEDIAF has also taken up the issue and appeals to its members that it is their joint responsibility to maintain the delicate balance between the needs of the population and the need to protect the natural environment from irreversible damage.
  • Regulations: News on mycotoxins and dietetic feed

    • Project to revise mycotoxins in feed - Stakeholder consultation of the EU Commission

      According to the Food Association, it has been announced that the previous guideline values for mycotoxins in feed are to be revised. Maximum levels based on toxicological reference points (here NOAEL/LOAEL) in compound feed are discussed. In addition to those already listed, new guideline values are to be introduced for other straight feeding stuffs in accordance with the ALARA principle (as low as reasonably achievable). Art. 6 of Directive 2002/32/EC is to continue to be applied to complementary feeds. This states that in the absence of special provisions, the content of a mycotoxin in a daily ration of the supplementary feed may not be higher than the content of that mycotoxin in a compound feed.

      Changes to dietetic feed and the Feed Regulation

      On 25 December 2020, Regulation (EU) No 2020/354 establishing a list of intended uses of feed for particular nutritional purposes came into force as directly applicable law. This repeals the old Directive 2008/38/EC. The new Feed Regulation also contains a regulation on administrative offences with regard to certain infringements of Regulation (EU) 2020/354 for situations that occurred after 25.12.2020.

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