Peer-reviewed evidence
Why validation matters
Of 3,691 US pet food recalls from 2003 to 2022, Salmonella caused 23% and chemical causes 32%.
What we do
Pilot trials generate the validation data your food safety plan needs before launch.
Regulatory Services
Built for the market you’re entering.
Regulatory thinking is part of formulation, not a final check. We align ingredients, labels and claims with India, the US, the EU, the UK and Australia from the start.
Guires Pet Nutrition Lab
Pet Food Regulatory Support from Guires PNL
Every market regulates pet food differently: what counts as complete and balanced, which ingredients and additives are permitted, how labels must be laid out and which claims can be made. A product built for one market often needs changes before it can be sold in another.
We build regulatory requirements into formulation from the start for India, the US, the EU, the UK and Australia — reviewing ingredients, labels, claims and market-entry documents side by side. Final responsibility for product compliance rests with the brand owner placing the product on the market.
Start your project with Guires PNLExplore Regulatory
Four regulatory services. One compliance team.
Each service has its own page with the scope, the scientific challenges, the evidence behind our approach and what you take away.
Registration & Market Clearance
01
Registration & Market Clearance
We prepare the regulatory route, documents and submissions your pet food, treat or supplement needs to be placed on the market in India, the US, the EU, the UK, Australia and Asia.
Explore →Label Review & Compliance
02
Label Review & Compliance
Ingredient lists, analytical constituents, additives, feeding guides and statements reviewed against each market’s labelling rules.
Explore →Claims Support & Substantiation
03
Claims Support & Substantiation
Nutritional and functional claims reviewed for each market and backed by published research, analysis or studies.
Explore →Import & Export Documentation
04
Import & Export Documentation
Certificates, technical files and product documentation prepared for pet food, treat and supplement shipments to the EU, the US, Australia, Japan, ASEAN and other markets.
Explore →Markets
Five markets, one regulatory team.
Choose a market to see what we review. Last reviewed: September 2026.
Jurisdiction
India
BIS specification, import permits and Legal Metrology labelling for the Indian market — plus export documentation for Indian-made products.
IN
✓IS 11968:2019 — BIS specification for dog and cat food (currently a voluntary standard)
✓Import of animal-origin pet food: DAHD Sanitary Import Permit before shipment, then inspection and clearance by the Animal Quarantine and Certification Service (AQCS); additional conditions apply from 2026 to pet food containing probiotics
✓Legal Metrology declarations on packs: MRP, net quantity, manufacturer or importer details
✓Ingredient assessment, label and claims review
✓Export documentation and destination-market requirements for Indian manufacturers
Jurisdiction
United States
State-enforced AAFCO model rules plus federal FDA requirements — including the new AAFCO label format and FDA’s ingredient consultation process.
US
✓AAFCO nutrient profiles for Growth & Reproduction and Adult Maintenance; “all life stages” claims must state whether they include large-breed puppies (70 lb or more as adults)
✓Nutritional adequacy substantiated by formulation to a profile or by AAFCO feeding-trial protocols
✓Pet Food Label Modernization (PFLM): adopted by AAFCO in 2023 — Pet Nutrition Facts box, intended-use statement on the front panel, standardised ingredient and storage/handling terms. States adopt it on their own schedules; AAFCO recommends a transition of about six years
✓FDA Preventive Controls for Animal Food (21 CFR 507): hazard analysis and food safety plan; canned foods follow low-acid canned food rules (21 CFR 113)
✓Since January 2025, FDA requires cat and dog food makers using uncooked poultry or cattle materials to address H5N1 in their food safety plans
✓New ingredients: FDA’s Animal Food Ingredient Consultation (AFIC), which replaced the AAFCO–FDA ingredient-definition agreement that ended in October 2024; AAFCO’s SRIS review opened in October 2025; FDA proposed mandatory GRAS notification in August 2026
✓Veterinary-diet and disease-related claims assessed against FDA Compliance Policy Guide Sec. 690.150
The proposed PURR Act (H.R. 597, 2025) would create federal pet food labelling rules. It is not law; we track its progress for clients.
Open the United States market page →Jurisdiction
European Union
FEDIAF nutritional guidance and the EU feed law framework for complete, complementary and dietetic pet foods.
EU
✓FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines 2025 (published September 2025) for complete and complementary cat and dog foods
✓Reg. (EC) 767/2009 — placing on the market and labelling of feed; FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice
✓Reg. (EC) 1831/2003 — feed additives; Catalogue of feed materials Reg. (EU) 68/2013 as amended
✓Reg. (EC) 183/2005 — feed hygiene; animal by-products Reg. (EC) 1069/2009 and Reg. (EU) 142/2011
✓Dietetic (particular nutritional purpose) feeds: Reg. (EU) 2020/354
Jurisdiction
United Kingdom
Great Britain and Northern Ireland rules after Brexit, with changes likely under a new UK–EU agreement.
UK
✓EU feed laws continue in GB as retained (now “assimilated”) law; the Food Standards Agency leads, with enforcement by local authorities and Trading Standards
✓APHA approval and registration for animal by-product use; Northern Ireland handled by DAERA under the Windsor Framework
✓Guidance from UK Pet Food (formerly PFMA); we formulate UK products to the FEDIAF nutritional guidelines
✓Novel ingredients such as cultivated meat need UK clearance — the first cultivated-meat pet food was cleared in 2024
A UK–EU sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) agreement under negotiation would realign GB feed rules with EU law; the FSA is preparing for implementation, currently expected in 2027.
Open the United Kingdom market page →Jurisdiction
Australia
Industry standard, self-regulation and strict biosecurity import conditions.
AU
✓AS 5812:2023 — Manufacturing and marketing of pet food (voluntary Australian Standard)
✓Industry self-regulation through the Pet Food Industry Association of Australia (PFIAA)
✓PetFAST — adverse event reporting system run by the AVA and PFIAA
✓Imports under the Biosecurity Act 2015: conditions and permits set in BICON
✓Formulation to AAFCO or FEDIAF nutrient profiles, as agreed for your market
In April 2026, Australian agriculture ministers decided mandatory pet food regulation is not warranted at this time; AS 5812 remains voluntary.
Open the Australia market page →Planning for UAE / GCC or another market? Talk to us about your market →
Regulatory Watch
What changed in 2023–2026.
The rules behind pet food have moved quickly. These are the changes we build into current projects.
Jul 2023
AAFCO adopts Pet Food Label Modernization
New Pet Nutrition Facts box and intended-use statement; phased adoption by US states.
Jul 2024
UK clears cultivated meat for pet food
First approval in Europe; cultivated-chicken dog treats went on sale in 2025.
Oct 2024
AAFCO–FDA ingredient agreement ends
New US ingredients now go through FDA’s Animal Food Ingredient Consultation (AFIC).
Jan 2025
FDA: H5N1 in food safety plans
Required for cat and dog foods using uncooked poultry or cattle materials.
Sep 2025
FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines 2025
Current European nutrient reference for complete and complementary foods.
Oct 2025
AAFCO opens SRIS ingredient review
New scientific review route for animal food ingredients, run with Kansas State University.
Apr 2026
Australia keeps self-regulation
Ministers decide mandatory regulation is not warranted at this time.
Aug 2026
FDA proposes mandatory GRAS notification
Proposed rule would require GRAS notification for human and animal food; comments close December 2026.
Claims Discipline
Nutrition claims, not drug claims.
Medical or disease-related claims can move a product toward animal-drug regulation — in the US under FDA’s Compliance Policy Guide 690.150, and in the EU unless it fits a defined dietetic-feed purpose. We write claims that describe nutritional support and review them for each target market.
We also use precise language about nutritional frameworks: AAFCO publishes model regulations and nutrient profiles rather than certifying products, so we describe products as formulated to comply with the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles.
Example
AVOID“Pet food for arthritis.”
PREFER“Joint & Mobility Nutrition.”
Food Safety Systems
Safety plans that pass audits.
Regulators and retailers now ask how safety is managed, not just what the label says. We help you build the systems behind the product.
01
Food safety plans
Hazard analysis and preventive controls for US facilities under 21 CFR 507, including the H5N1 hazard required for raw poultry and cattle materials since 2025.
02
Environmental monitoring
Sampling plans for Salmonella and Listeria in processing areas, with trend review.
03
Supplier approval
Supplier risk assessment, documentation checks and audit planning — linked to our sourcing service.
04
Certification readiness
Gap assessment against recognised schemes (e.g. FSSC 22000, ISO 22000, SQF) before your certification audit.
05
Recall readiness
Traceability tests, mock recalls and a documented recall plan.
Guires Pet Nutrition Lab provides regulatory support and review. Final responsibility for product compliance rests with the brand owner placing the product on the market.
Evidence
The science behind our approach.
Peer-reviewed and regulatory findings that shape how we work — each linked to its source.
Peer-reviewed evidence
Labels are not always accurate
In a 2026 study, 82.3% of 96 products met their declared guaranteed analysis — so nearly 1 in 5 did not.
What we do
Every guarantee verified analytically before launch, with results checked against market tolerances.
- StudyCho 2026, Animals
Research + guidance
Fresh, raw & minimally processed
Raw diets carry higher pathogen risk: one study found Salmonella in 26.2% of raw diets and none of the extruded diets tested. Since January 2025, FDA requires US makers using raw poultry or cattle materials to address H5N1.
What we do
We build kill-step validation, pathogen testing and, for US products, H5N1 hazard analysis into development.
Regulations & Standards
Primary sources.
The official regulations, standards and guidelines our regulatory reviews are built on. Rules change; every review is checked against the current text.
United States
European Union
Insights
Market insights from Guires PNL scientists
Stay ahead with regulation updates, the latest research, ingredient spotlights, recalls and market trends for regulatory compliance — written by our formulation, testing and regulatory teams.
Guires PNL quality, compliance and safety
Every project at Guires Pet Nutrition Lab runs inside an ISO 9001:2015 certified quality system and FSSAI-licensed operations, with documented methods, calibrated instruments, traceable raw materials and reviewed reports — so the results behind your product can be checked and defended.
Quality
Entering a new market?
Tell us where you plan to sell and we will outline the regulatory steps for your product.
FEDIAFAAFCO
Every Guires PNL product is formulated to comply with the FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines and the AAFCO Dog and Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. Neither body issues certificates to manufacturers, so compliance is verified independently against their published standards — and every product comes with a complete documentation package for regulatory submissions in the EU, US, Australia and Asian markets.
How we verify compliance →