Industry responds to the need for voluntary copper claims in pet food

GlobalPETS learned that last February, the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ (AAFCO) Pet Food Committee (PFC) received 50 comments after seeking feedback about copper limits in dog food. 

AFFCO’s committee is expected to meet in May to determine the appropriate next steps for the labeling requirement and consider its presentation to its Board of Directors and membership.

The findings

The PFC proposed a regulation for a “controlled copper” claim on dog foods, indicating a particular food is nutritionally adequate for one or more life stages. This means that dog food contains no more than 15 mg copper/kg DM and 3.75 mg copper/1,000 kcal of metabolizable energy.

The committee has based this decision on the fact that it is part of AAFCO’s mission “to provide clarity to consumers, promote consistency in the marketplace, and support animal health, all of which is accomplished with this regulation.” 

A scientific article published in 2021 in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA) raised doubts over the existing regulations and called for a maximum copper concentration in commercial dog food to be set.

A long debate

AAFCO’s PFC Copper Claim Workgroup’s report states that it “by a slim majority” recommends PFC “establish the regulation for a ‘controlled copper’ claim on dog foods.”

Those opposed to setting the upper limit held their ground about the claim lacking scientific evidence, as the tolerance of the maximum limit of copper is still unknown. The group also argued that it gives copper a bad reputation.

Members who voted in favor of the controlled copper claim say it would make it easier for concerned dog owners and veterinarians to find foods with less copper than non-therapeutic commercial dog foods. They also argued that it would prevent brands from claiming that they can cure or prevent diseases like copper-associated hepatopathy (CAH).

Pet industry organizations such as the Pet Food Institute (PFI), the American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) and the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) oppose the implementation of such copper claims.

Changing the terminology

The updated regulation resulted in a change in terminology from “low copper” to “controlled copper” after concerns about the low claim implying that the copper content of the food was less than the minimum requirement listed in the AAFCO Nutrient Profiles.

“All Workgroup members agree that more research about the effects of dietary copper on dogs’ health is needed, but in the meantime, PFC needs to decide if the proposed regulation is an appropriate and acceptable step towards addressing the issue,” says Dr. Karen L. Donnelly, Chair of the Copper Claim Workgroup.