Many pet owners desire to feed their animals the same foods that they do for their families of humans. Due to this interest, allegedly “human grade” pet foods are now being marketed. This phrase can be a little deceptive because it is not always used correctly and does not necessarily imply that a particular food is any safer or healthier for pets.
Foods meant for human consumption are simply referred to as “edible” by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is the organization in charge of inspecting our food. The term “human grade” itself is only used for pet foods. Foods must remain in the human food chain and adhere to specific regulations set forth by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to be deemed “edible.”
In relation to pet food, there was no legal definition of “human grade” until just a few years ago, and dubious applications of the term were quite prevalent. AAFCO now defines it as a product where “every ingredient and the resulting products are stored, handled, processed, and transported in a manner that is consistent and compliant with regulations…for human edible foods.” This requires that the foods be prepared in facilities or kitchens that have a license to produce human foods and be handled exactly like human foods in all other respects.
While there are some differences between the standards for human foods and pet foods, neither the health benefits nor the quality of the ingredients in “human grade” foods are necessarily better for your pets. For instance, the chicken used in the majority of pet foods comes from the same bird as the chicken sold in supermarkets; the breasts, thighs, and wings are sold to consumers while the rest of the chicken (including the neck, back, and organs) is used to make pet food. Regardless of the initial quality, once it is purchased by a pet food manufacturer and transported to a pet food factory, it is no longer considered fit for human consumption even though it all originates from the same chicken. There may be even less variation in plant-based ingredients since the same corn used to make many pet foods (not for humans) is also used to make the tortilla chips in your kitchen. Consequently, the term “human grade” doesn’t necessarily refer to an ingredient’s quality.
The labeling of “human grade” also has nothing to do with whether the food contains the right amount of nutrients because all pet foods must meet the same nutritional standards set by AAFCO. Therefore, the actual nutrients in a human-grade food may not differ from those in a traditional pet food, and even the ingredients may not be all that different. The biggest distinction might be between a facility producing pet food and one producing human food. However, even this does not imply that the human grade diet is superior because some pet food plants have extremely high standards and some human food facilities barely comply with the bare minimum requirements.
Of course, cooking for your pet with human foods is an alternative to feeding human grade pet food. Check out our other articles on home cooking if you’re interested in preparing food for your pet.
The bottom line is that feeding your pet human-grade pet food does not guarantee that it will be healthier or of higher quality. It is preferable to concentrate on criteria that more accurately identify pet foods made by organizations with significant nutritional expertise, high quality ingredients, and excellent quality control standards. These are the actual elements that will contribute to your pet’s continued health.
Are human grade pet foods really human grade?
Going back to my original question, the response is unequivocally no when it comes to foods made in California that are marketed as “human grade pet foods.” Companies that produce this kind of product must obtain a pet food facility license, so they currently do not adhere to AAFCO standards. You should keep in mind that human-grade pet foods must be produced or prepared in establishments that are authorized to produce human food (see 3c above).
Technically, because they are a pet food manufacturing facility (not human grade), such claims would be regarded as false and misleading in all states. The company does offer shipping to all other states, so while the state of California could exercise enforcement discretion, other states cannot.
How AAFCO defines human-grade dog food
As pet parents embark upon their search to serve their pup the best food for their needs, it’s very possible that human-grade dog food could be worth the extra expense that is sometimes associated with these products. However, there are some additional considerations to keep in mind. According to The Association of American Feed Control Officials, (AAFCO), the term “human grade” has no standardized definition in the pet food space. However, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has defined a standard for the term “edible.”
All of the ingredients in a product must be suitable for human consumption for it to be considered truly human-edible, and it must also be produced, packaged, and stored in accordance with certain federal regulations. When each of those criteria is satisfied in one product, the product can be referred to as “human-grade.” ”.
When dog food is described as “human-grade” or “human-quality,” it means that it is fit for human consumption. Unfortunately, that assertion may be false because “human-grade” or “human-quality” products are not always considered to be “healthy” food for pets and also lack a clear legal definition.
Other dog food diets also have terms that are important to understand. For example, dog food products that state they are “USDA organic,” typically have stricter standards that require a product to be made without synthetic pesticides and genetic engineering may not be used during production. On the flip side, dog food and products labeled as “natural” can occasionally be misleading by how they are represented on packaging. While AAFCO has defined what “natural” pet food means, there are often cases of pet food manufacturers stretching the intention of the definition.
Of course, cooking for your pet with human foods is an alternative to feeding human grade pet food. Check out our other articles on home cooking if you’re interested in preparing food for your pet.
The bottom line is that feeding your pet human-grade pet food does not guarantee that it will be healthier or of higher quality. It is preferable to concentrate on criteria that more accurately identify pet foods made by organizations with significant nutritional expertise, high quality ingredients, and excellent quality control standards. These are the actual elements that will contribute to your pet’s continued health.
The labeling of “human grade” also has nothing to do with whether the food contains the right amount of nutrients because all pet foods must meet the same nutritional standards set by AAFCO. Therefore, the actual nutrients in a human-grade food may not differ from those in a traditional pet food, and even the ingredients may not be all that different. The biggest distinction might be between a facility producing pet food and one producing human food. However, even this does not imply that the human grade diet is superior because some pet food plants have extremely high standards and some human food facilities barely comply with the bare minimum requirements.
Foods meant for human consumption are simply referred to as “edible” by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which is the organization in charge of inspecting our food. The term “human grade” itself is only used for pet foods. Foods must remain in the human food chain and adhere to specific regulations set forth by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in order to be deemed “edible.”
Until just a few years ago, there was no legal definition of “human grade” as it related to pet food and questionable uses of the term were quite common. However, it is now defined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) as a product where “every ingredient and the resulting products are stored, handled, processed, and transported in a manner that is consistent and compliant with regulations…for human edible foods”. This means that the foods have to be made in plants or kitchens that are licensed to produce human foods and otherwise treated exactly like human foods.
FAQ
Is dog food the same as human food?
A dog’s digestive system is different from a human’s. Dogs cannot properly digest typical human food because it is far too rich and fatty; doing so can result in vomiting, diarrhea, and even more serious conditions like pancreatitis. Several human foods also contain excessive sodium for dogs.
What dog foods use human grade ingredients?
Ollie provides fresh, human-grade dog food that is formulated to meet your pet’s nutritional needs and is made with recipes that start with real chicken, beef, turkey, or lamb. Other ingredients include leafy greens, root veggies, and plant-based proteins.
Is human grade dog food better than kibble?
In this study, two Just Food For Dogs varieties were contrasted with either an extruded dry dog food or a fresh-cooked food made with ingredients suitable for pets. The two human-grade foods outperformed the pet-grade fresh-cooked food and the extruded dry food.